Like The Innocent Flower
by em-tinuviel
Summary: Snape is given the most important task of his life, and he is completely out of his element
1. Chapter 1

**A/N The first couple chapters are a bit short because I wanted to build up some suspense. They will probably get longer as I go**

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><p>Snape sat waiting in Dumbledore's office. This was not the first time he had been called there late at night, and the result was never good news. Each task he was assigned was increasingly difficult since Voldemort's return. Nothing was ever easy when you were the double agent.<p>

Just as Snape was about to drift to sleep in his seat, Dumbledore walked in.

"Severus, thank you for responding to my call on such short notice. I wouldn't bother you at such an hour if it wasn't something extremely important."

The old man's words instantly confirmed Snape's suspicion.

"I have decided to grant your request for the Defence Against the Dark Arts post starting in the fall. In exchange, I need your assistance with a very important task."

"What is it you need me to relay to the Dark Lord this time Albus?" He responded in a rather uninterested voice. Snape was getting tired of being the puppet. It was a dangerous job, but it was getting very repetitive.

"It's funny you should ask that Severus. As it turns out, the task I have for you this time relies solely on you NOT telling Voldemort. It is very important for him to never know."

Shock and confusion raced through Snape's mind. His entire job was based on lying to the Dark Lord for Dumbledore. Was this seriously a task that didn't involve that rather unpleasant communication?

"So are you saying this is a mission that has nothing to do with him at all? Not that I'm complaining about a change of pace Albus, but this is starting to sound like a task better suited to one of your Order of the Phoenix lackeys." He attempted to mask this sudden interest with his all too familiar drawl.

"Actually Severus, it has absolutely everything to do with Voldemort, just not in the same fashion you are used to. I also believe you are the only person suited to this particular job, which I hope you will undertake more as a favor to me than anything else."

Dumbledore could see the curiosity hidden behind the boredom on Snape's face. He hoped it was enough to have him agree before hearing what he needed him to do. Having to explain it first would require a lot more convincing, and his participation was absolutely necessary.

"I'm assuming I wont get the job if I don't agree to whatever it is you want?" He admired Dumbledore's use of bribery. He knew how badly Snape wanted the position. "If you are so sure I'm the only one who can do it, then I guess I have no choice but to agree."

"Excellent," Dumbledore breathed a sigh of relief, "Now I know you probably want to know exactly what you just signed up for, but it's getting very late. A full explanation would require a back-story, which is best saved for tomorrow when you are awake. "

With that, Dumbledore made it clear he was finished the discussion. Snape would have to withhold his curiosity for one more day. As he got up to leave, he had a strange feeling he would have been better off with another mundane double agent task.


	2. Chapter 2

Dumbledore was missing from the head table at breakfast the next morning. Snape planned on asking him what time they should meet that evening. Did his sudden unexplained absence have something to do with his mission? After all, the headmaster rarely disappeared for any length of time without informing him.

The rest of the day seemed painfully slow. He couldn't focus on his teaching, and he barely made an effort to humiliate the Gryffindors for their shabby potion attempts. He was even too distracted to insult Potter, who had a strange feeling something was going on.

"Harry, I know you hate Snape, but this is really getting insane," said Hermione as they were leaving the room. "Maybe he just wasn't feeling well today. A lack of insults isn't a sign of some plot to murder you. Just be happy you had a relatively stress free potions class".

Harry wasn't buying it. Hermione just wanted him to stop talking about it so she could plan out her homework schedule for the evening. He would just have to keep a closer-than-usual watch on Snape for the next few weeks and make sure nothing else suspicious went on. He felt for the Marauder's map in his robe pocket, ensuring it was available to check when no one was looking.

Severus Snape was usually a very calm and collected person. He had two frequent expressions: uninterested and angry. At dinner that evening, he was visibly agitated. People were beginning to notice, and this bothered him even more. What could possibly be keeping Dumbledore away from the school? If it were a ministry meeting he would have been informed, and were it an issue with Voldemort he would know one way or another. This certainly must have something to do with the mysterious task.

He shifted in his seat, avoiding conversation with the other teachers and focusing on getting his meal down quickly. He glanced at the students and noticed Potter giving him a curious glare. "Great!" Snape thought, "Now I'm going to have Potter on my tail constantly. I don't even know what I'm supposed to be doing yet and the wizarding world's biggest snoop is already preparing to bust me." He was too absorbed to notice McGonagall trying to get his attention.

"Severus! Severus, are you feeling all right? You look a bit pale." There was serious concern in her voice. She had never known the potions master to be sick.

"I'm fine Minerva, I was just wondering when the Headmaster was planning to be back. I'm supposed to meet with him later this evening."

"Oh I see. Well he should be back any time. I was expecting him about and hour ago actually, so I assume he will let you know when he returns."

This wasn't calming. In fact, it was even more worrisome. Dumbledore was late from…wherever he was. Snape was going to regret agreeing to this.

He rose from the dinner table and left the hall. Just as he started in the direction of his office, Dumbledore came striding down the corridor.

"Ah Severus, the man I wanted to see!" He was wearing travelling robes. "Sorry I was so late, I'll need a little time to rest and clean up. Meet me in my office in an hour."

Snape decided to go back to his office and pass the time marking papers. He enjoyed pondering how it was possible for so many idiot children to exist in one place. When it was nearly and hour, he got up and made his way to Dumbledore's office, his heart racing in anticipation.

With a knock on the door, he was called in and offered a seat. His mouth was dry and his heart still racing. Dumbledore stared at him from across the desk.

"So…" Snape chose to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Yes, I suppose I've kept you waiting long enough. Time to begin my story. Now I urge you to listen carefully as it is very important. It all begins 20 years ago, at the height of Voldemort's power."


	3. Chapter 3

"Back when Voldemort was still mostly man, many pureblood families were trying hard to get into his good graces. For some of these families, it was an honor to occasionally send him their daughters as company. One such girl he took a particular liking to. Her family was the Kinseys, not well known in our circles, although I had seen them a few times. They kept to themselves and spent most of their gold sending their children to foreign wizarding schools. This particular girl spent quite a few months in what could be called the closest thing Tom Riddle ever had to a real relationship. He didn't love her I'm sure, but she suited his purposes. Then suddenly she stopped coming to see him. Her family, from what I recall, made an attempt to join up with the Order and offer information. The problem was how quickly he noticed their absence. They uprooted the entire family and went into hiding.

Voldemort seemed very insulted by this change of loyalties, especially because they took the girl. He made it his mission over the next year to find and punish them for what they had done. He needed to set an example; no one could leave him without repercussions. They managed to hide for a year, until he finally found the girl alone, just outside the house. He killed her, but wasn't able to find the rest of the Kinseys before he lost his powers. No one heard from them again until 8 years later, when a few remaining Death Eaters took it upon themselves to finish the Dark Lord's work. Perhaps they wanted to make sure wizards didn't forget about them, or maybe they were just bored. Either way, the last of the Kinseys were destroyed."

Dumbledore paused, looking at Snape intently, assessing whether he was keeping up. Snape was following along fine; he just didn't see the point of this story yet. He knew all too well about Voldemort's interactions with young women in the past; he was a Death Eater after all. This particular story seemed to ring a bell but he didn't recall anything important about the murders. Dumbledore cleared his throat and prepared to continue.

"So now we return, more or less, to present time. As you know, wizards are always consulting me with their problems and concerns. Sometimes they tell very strange tales even I can't explain. On one such occasion, an acquaintance of mine told me a very odd story of a woman in his village that claimed to have seen a young girl sneaking around, hiding in alleyways, performing what seemed to be magic. When she went to go see why this child was disobeying the laws for use of magic outside school, she was gone. I didn't think much of it at the time, since it may not have been completely true. However, a few months later I heard a similar story from another acquaintance, claiming they saw a girl walk out of their village and completely disappear.

Now I was interested. Here was a first hand account of a school age girl doing what appeared to be apparition. She wasn't known locally, so where were her parents, and why was she not in school? I decided to record both of these events, and keep my ears open for any similar tales. I asked families to spread the word and keep an eye out, letting me know if they saw children doing anything out of the ordinary in their villages. Over the next 2 years, I recorded 6 more sightings of a girl similar in description to the one I had been tracking. It became a bit of a secret obsession of mine. For the past few years I have been following leads all over Britain hoping to locate this elusive girl that seems to be magical yet can't have attended any school of magic.

I had almost given up, thinking I was just following misread signs. Then, a few weeks ago, I was walking through a village not far from London when I saw her. A young woman, which was in accordance with my search, as 6 years had passed since the original story was told to me. She was tall, slim, and had very dark hair. She would have been very lovely, except she seemed a bit wild and unkempt. I started to follow her when she suddenly disappeared.

Here was my chance, and I let her get away! I began walking through the countryside, too irritated with myself to apparate back just yet. As I was walking past a relatively deserted field a few miles from the village, she materialized again! I tried to stay quiet and just watch what she did, but she turned, and I saw a pair of very dark eyes widen. She saw me. I wanted to call out before she could disappear, but something stopped me. I was frozen with what almost felt like fear. There was something distantly familiar about this girl, and I couldn't place it. The shock was gone from her eyes, and she didn't run away. She stared at me curiously and started moving closer. I know I am a fairly acclaimed and respected wizard, but I confess that I was afraid. I wished to run from her… yet I stayed. Before I could think of anything to say, she spoke.

"I've been waiting for you a long time" Her voice was soft, an alto tone, and not what I expected due to her rough appearance.

I asked her what she meant, and how she knew who I was. She reached for a chain around her neck and I saw her pull out a small, intricately designed vial filled with a silvery liquid I was all too familiar with.

'I trust you know what to do. I will meet you here this time tomorrow'

'Wait!' I needed at least one question about this encounter answered, 'How do you know who I am, and why are you giving this to me?'

'I don't know who you are. My grandmother gave this to me just a few days before she died. She said I was to keep it with me at all times, until I met the person it was meant for. I would know as soon as I saw them. It's meant for you to have. But you have to go before someone finds us here. Tomorrow!'

Then she was gone, and I could only stand there and stare into the darkness until I heeded her warning and apparated back to the castle. "

Dumbledore sighed. Snape was trying to take all of this in, but he really just wanted to get to the point and it was taking such a long time. Dumbledore summoned his pensieve, and pulled out what Snape assumed was the intricate vial containing the memory.

"I could describe it for you, but it's probably easier if you see it for yourself." He poured the silvery liquid into the basin and it began to swirl. Snape was secretly glad he didn't have to listen and could experience the story instead. He got out of his chair and fell into the memory.


	4. Chapter 4

He was in a small cottage. An older man was standing by a window, wand raised, as if he was watching for something. Snape turned and found a woman, who must have been the man's wife, sitting in a chair beside a bed. He stepped closer to see what was happening. A young woman was lying in the bed, sweat and tears glistening on her face, holding a newborn baby. The older woman had a look of shock, mixed with pride and adoration for the child.

"Well she is lovely dear. What will you call her?"

The young woman looked at her newborn daughter and laughed a little, "Athelina; a different name for an unusual girl. I will let her choose her surname, her fathers or ours. She will know her own… history eventually and then she can decide."

Her mother smiled a little. "An excellent choice, very suiting."

Then the young woman's face clouded over with sadness. She looked up at her mother with new tears in her eyes. "Promise me you will take care of her. Don't let her forget who she is and why she's alive."

"What are you talking about dear, of course I'll take care of her but…" panic flashed across her face. Snape felt tension rise in the room. The father looked over from his post at the window with concern.

"You know this isn't safe for her. If we keep this up they will find us, and it will all be in vain. Can you imagine what he would do? The stress has put so much pressure on my body that I don't feel like I can make it much longer anyways. If you want to save her as much as I do, you will understand that I have to let him find me. " The last few words were barely audible, she was speaking so quietly, with her baby pulled close to her face. Her mother started to cry; her father turned silently and continued looking out the window.

The scene changed. It was a different house, but not much later. The baby had hardly grown. The older woman was holding her, crying silently. Her husband's arm was around her shoulder. The young woman, still looking rather frail, stood a few feet from the door.

"Remember, as soon as I leave the wards, go as fast as you possibly can. Don't wait, just take her and go. Make sure you keep her safe." Her mother nodded and began sobbing hard. Snape thought himself a hard man, but being thrown into this emotionally charged scene with impending death in the air made his chest tighten. He knew what was about to happen, and it was a memory so nothing could stop it. The girl whispered I love you to all three members of her family, and then walked silently out the door. There was a flash of green light and the scene changed again.

Snape opened his eyes, heart still racing from the events he just witnessed. He was still with the couple, but the child seemed to be 5 or 6 years old now. The girl was sitting in a chair by the fire, next to her grandmother. She was holding a frayed blue dress, staring at it very intently.

"Pink." She spoke softly, yet in a very commanding tone.

"I'm sorry dear, but I've told you we can't afford another dress". The woman glanced at the child and gasped. A proud smile spread across her face. As she stared at the dress it began fading from blue and slowly turned a very light pink. Athelina clapped her hands and put the dress down. Snape remembered the first time he showed magical capabilities. His mother was just as proud as this woman. The little girl's magic was very well controlled.

He spun into another scene, featuring the same woman and little girl. It may have been one or two years later. They were sitting in the same room, but the girl had lost the sense of energy and excitement that she emitted previously. Something about this memory seemed very sad. The woman turned suddenly as if she was gaining the courage to say something she had been thinking about for quite some time.

"Athelina my love, I want to tell you something very important. People have been saying the evil is gone, but there are still a lot of very bad people out there. It may never be safe for us. I want to make sure that you know what to do incase there is an emergency." She picked up an envelope and handed it to the girl. "If anyone comes here that you don't know, and we can't get to you, you have to leave immediately and find somewhere safe. Tell no one who you are. Only then should you read this letter. Can you do that?"

"Yes grandmother." It was the same soft voice, but its tone suggested far more maturity and burden than a young child should ever have known.

"You are a very special girl. I want you to remember that. This family has always sought to protect you, and there will always be good people in the world willing to do the same." She smiled softly, and her face faded.

Snape found himself in Dumbledore's office once again, a perplexed look upon his face.

"So, now you see what I had to work with to solve my mystery. I spent the evening revisiting the memory, something inside me refusing to admit what I was being shown. I'm sure you picked up on it Severus?" Dumbledore had a smile that was tinged with sadness.

There was a pause, as the perplexed look faded. Snape's eyes widened. "She was his daughter." The two stories fit together. The woman who was murdered was the Kinsey girl, and the older couple her parents. The remaining death eaters murdered them not long after the final memory took place.

"IS his daughter Severus. The reason the Kinsey's left in the first place, the reason they all died, to protect her from her own father. " It almost looked like a tear was forming in Dumbledore's eye.

"So how did she manage to survive for ten years? You went back to see her the next day did you not? He obviously hasn't discovered her."

"Patience my friend patience, I was getting there. Yes, I went back the next evening with many questions for this incredible young woman. I now understood why I had been so mesmerized and afraid when I saw her. She was a haunting image of Voldemort as I remembered him as a young man. The same dark penetrating eyes that knew exactly what they wanted. However, her eyes have nothing malicious behind them. She appeared in the same field, and walked me back to a small cabin where she has been living the past few years. She apparently didn't have a hard time finding places to live as a girl, but she moved around a lot when she noticed villagers getting too curious. She was fully aware of her history, and the importance of keeping it a secret. She found it easy to find older women who needed companions and someone to help with chores, and she would stay with them a while. The last woman she took care of passed away a little while before Voldemort's return, and left her the little cabin. She managed to support herself, but she was always searching for the person her grandmother had told her the memory was for."

"So I am going to assume, Albus, that you are not just telling me this story for amusement, and that it has something to do with my task." Snape's gall had returned, recovering fully from the emotional upheaval the memory had caused.

"Very observant of you." Dumbledore laughed, " Yes, it has something to do with your task. You see, Athelina is the daughter of a very talented wizard. She exhibits extraordinary power, but has never been able to get necessary training since she has been in hiding her entire life. I cannot put her in school with the children, and I wish for as few people to know about her as possible. In fact, you are the only person that knows. I feel that I can trust you Severus, and you are very talented. I was hoping you could take her into your care, teach her magic and keep her away from prying eyes. I cannot do it myself as I am often away, and I know you will do a wonderful job." He looked into Snape's eyes expectantly.

"Why me? I mean, why not ask another teacher? I'm sure they could do just as good a job. Of course I'm honored, but I'm supposed to be in constant contact with the dark lord. Isn't it dangerous to have me hiding his daughter?" Snape didn't need any more stress.

"On the contrary! If you are going to hide something from him, put it right under his nose! They keep a close watch on our side, as you well know. He fully expects the Order to be hiding something from him, but he would be far less likely to expect you. Plus, not to offend you Severus, but you tend to spend more of your time in solitude than the others. You have very private quarters, and others rarely visit. I feel that all signs point to you. I'm sure you will find her eager to learn, and very pleasant. Since the term is almost over, I propose bringing her to you at the end of the summer. I can take care of her until then, and you can use this time to prepare a few introductory lessons for her."

"Well, I suppose I can do that; as long as she isn't in my way... I can understand the seriousness of the situation." This was all very uncomfortable and confusing for him, but there was really no way he could disagree now.


	5. Chapter 5

The summer went by quickly, and Snape found himself awaiting the arrival of his guest. A few days before the term was to start, Dumbledore showed up at the door clearly alone. "Where is the girl?" Snape inquired. You could see for miles from his front door, and there was no one around.

"She is on her way, don't worry. I came a bit early because there was something I did not mention when we last spoke on this matter."

Great, Snape thought. Always some strange catch to these plans.

"Do you recall in my story how Athelina was able to disappear, as it was the unusual event that caught my eye in the first place? I have recently discovered why that is. I had previously thought that her magic was so in tune that she was already able to apparate without any formal lesson. That is not the case. I asked her how she did it, thinking her answer would simply be that she didn't know how. I was shocked when she chose to show me instead. The girl can transform into a snake!"

"What? Do you mean to say she was able to figure out how to become an animagus on her own? That is impossible Albus, something dark is going on here!" His heart was racing; he didn't want this creature in his home.

"No, even more strange than that! It seems she was born with this ability! It is something I have never heard of or encountered before. The snake part makes sense, since all descendants of Slytherin are Parselmouths. I had to do a bit of digging into her mother's side to explain it further. Apparently the maternal line had a history of producing metamorphmagi, which had not been present for the past few generations. Since both are such rare and mysterious traits, it is perfectly rational to assume the two have never crossed paths in magical history. This phenomenon seems to combine the two into an ability to speak to snakes, as well as transform into one, at will."

Dumbledore seemed extraordinarily pleased with this discovery. It was truly remarkable, and Snape had to admit there was an advantage to someone turning into a snake when you were trying to keep her hidden.

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><p>Athelina changed back into her human form a little ways from the house. She wanted to make sure her legs were in good working order before she met this man who was going to be taking care of her. It worried her slightly. Dumbledore had promised he would make an excellent teacher and a decent enough companion, but she wasn't sure what she thought about the arrangement.<p>

Spending the 18 years of your life on the run made you a bit suspicious of everyone. There was a reason she chose to only live with women when she was on her own, and it was her lack of trust in men. She knew there must be plenty of good men in the world, but she would rather not run the risk of winding up with the bad ones.

The only man she ever knew well before meeting Dumbledore was her grandfather She knew he used to be a very warm man, but the stress and sorrow in his life had hardened him. Men hid their emotions, bottled them away instead of embracing them as a part of their identity.

She wished she could stay with Dumbledore. She respected his wisdom and kind nature. Besides, he could teach her more about magic than anyone on the planet, she was sure. Unfortunately, he was a very busy man with a lot of responsibilities that would get in his way no matter how hard he tried to be there for her. He assured her that this was the best situation he could arrange, and she would not be disappointed.

With a deep breath she walked up to the door.

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><p>Snape jumped when he heard the knock. He turned to Dumbledore, hoping this was all just an elaborate joke. With no indication he was being fooled, he started towards the door. Dumbledore passed him, which was a good idea since he needed to make the introduction.<p>

The second while the door opened was the longest in Snape's life.

There she was. Shocking.

"Excellent timing my dear, come in!" Dumbledore was giddy.

"Thank you professor" Her voice was also shocking; so soft, but not high. Snape was speechless. Even when Dumbledore introduced him, he could only stare with what he assumed was a look of mixed horror and awe.

Albus coughed so he would snap out of it. He shook her hand mechanically.

"My pleasure Athelina. That's an interesting name. Well I suppose you'll be spending some time here before we go to the school, so I can show you around if you'd like. Or we can just sit and get acquainted for a bit. I'm sure Albus would like some tea."

The girl looked wary. Maybe because he was babbling, and staring at her like she was going to attack at any second. He didn't know what his problem was; he never babbled. He stopped to breathe for a moment and noticed Dumbledore laughing quietly in the corner. He decided sitting would be best, because he didn't think he could stand much longer.

They entered his sitting room. It really wasn't the best choice for a social gathering, since he rarely entertained. He mostly used the small, dimly lit room to house the books that no longer fit in his library. They took seats in the chairs surrounding the fireplace. Dumbledore lit the fire up. It was summer, but sunlight rarely saw the inside of Snape's house so it was always a bit chilly.

Albus and the girl were chatting. He had no idea what they were saying, he was completely focused on her face. Now he understood why Dumbledore had wanted to run from the girl. It was like Voldemort was there, staring at him cooly from those dark eyes.

They were being fooled, this had to be Voldemort in some kind of disguise. A trick bringing back his young adult self in female form. The similarities were too frighteningly close. He knew it was a bad idea, he just knew it! How would he get her out of here? He was panicking so much that he never noticed the other two had stopped talking, and were looking at him with worried expressions.

"Albus, can I...would you mind if I spoke with you alone for a moment?" He tried to keep the fear out of his voice. Dumbledore nodded. They stepped into the hall.

"You are sure this is serious, right? It isn't some trick he is playing on us? Spying or something?" Even as he said it, Snape knew it was foolish. He sighed. Dumbledore always knew what was going on.

"Trust me Severus, you can do this. I know she is a bit strange to behold, but once you get to know her a bit you will see the differences come out. Get back in there and just try talking a bit. You will be teaching her, so why not try seeing where her strengths are? Would you prefer if I left?"

"No. Stay for a bit, and I will try to calm down. I'm sure once we are back to the school things will be easier to control. She is just another student." He took a few more breaths, and prepared to walk back in.

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><p>Athelina sat very still in her chair. This man didn't seem like the reserved academic described to her. He looked anxious. What were they talking about in the hall anyways? Was he having second thoughts about teaching her? She knew this would happen.<p>

She looked around the room while she waited. There were a lot of books in the tiny space. They were stacked all the way to the ceiling. She never really had the opportunity to read after her grandparents died, but she absolutely loved books. The titles in here were magnificent. She only hoped that eventually she could read all of them, and actually know what they were talking about. She had to admit, concerned as she was about her new teacher, she was ecstatic about finally learning magic.

They came back in the room. Snape seemed much more aloof now. He still looked at her strangely, but not as if he was going to bolt at any second. She calmed down a bit. Was this how he always was when meeting someone knew? No wonder Dumbledore said he didn't interact with many people.

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><p>He put on an act of disinterest as he reentered the room. He couldn't let a student sense his fears, no matter who she was. He had to regain the control in this relationship if she was ever going to listen to him.<p>

"Right, sorry about that Athelina. Now then, as I was saying, you will be staying here a few days before we head over to the school. I have a few introductory lessons planned just to give you a basic background in magic, as we will have to order your wand secretly and it may take a few days to arrive. We can go set you up somewhere to sleep for while we are here. Do you have any other questions?" He kept a very businesslike demeanour, hovering beside the chair he previously occupied.

"Yes thank you" There was that voice again. "Are there any other supplies I will need? I'm sure you understand I have very little money" Well, that wasn't exactly true. She had money stored away in Gringotts, but she had no way to get it.

Dumbledore answered "I can retrieve some of your money without raising suspicion, and I will have your things purchased and delivered to the castle before you arrive. But now I regret that I must be on my way. I have other important business to attend to. I will see both of you very soon."

"Thank you sir!" Her smile was genuine. That was certainly a strange sight for Snape. It was not Tom Riddle's smile.

**A/N Kind of a weird twist, but it was a characteristic I came up with when I first imagined the character of Athelina. It was before I had any idea for the story so I kind of needed a way to make it possible for her to become a snake at will. Hope it still works. The next few chapters may be a bit of filler to get me from one point to another, so bear with me :p**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N Here is chapter 6! As previously mentioned there is a bit of filler, but some important moments for the characters as well so hopefully you enjoy it**

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><p>Now they were alone, and he had no idea what to say. She just sat there staring at him, judging him most likely.<p>

Snape had set a room up for her the day before, after a week of wondering where on earth he could put her. He recalled the untimely visit from Narcissa and Bellatrix not long ago. He needed somewhere to put the girl if any other Death Eaters showed up.

He decided to expand the wall in his bedroom into a small room of it's own, with a mattress on the floor. From any angle there was no way to tell it was there. He made an invisible door for her to go through. He was impressed with how quickly he was able to do it.

"Well, I suppose I can show you what I have set up for you… follow me this way" He walked down the hallway towards his bedroom, with her trailing behind apprehensively. He explained the door and the magic used to create the room.

"Isn't it a bit risky to have this much of the wall easy to walk through? What if someone searches your house while we are at the school?" She was shifting awkwardly, standing beside his bed.

The girl knew little of wards, but Snape had to admit that she had a point. "What do you propose I do then?" It certainly hadn't taken her long to irritate him.

"Why not just make the door small? I have no problem with transforming in order to get into it. "

Now Snape was shifting awkwardly. He was hoping there would be no reason to see her turn into a snake on a regular basis. He did not connect good memories with people who could turn into animals. He also felt uneasy around snakes, oddly enough. Although he had to admit, it was easier for the head of Slytherin to come to school with an alleged pet snake than a cat. He had to chuckle a bit, picturing himself strolling into the school with a big ball of fur in his arms. What would the other teachers think about that?

Athelina stood staring at Snape, who seemed to be in his own little world. He took her suggestion to make the door small seriously, which pleased her. However, he hadn't reacted well to her mentioning transforming. He decreased the invisible door, and then continued to stare at her. Was he waiting for her to show him, or did he just completely space out? Then he started laughing. That was it: he was completely insane!

"Uh, sir? Should I… did you want me to… are you ok?" She tried snapping him out of it. This really wasn't going as well as she'd hoped.

Snape came back from his little fantasy and realized the girl was speaking to him now. This was embarrassing considering how put together he normally was. Nothing about this day was working to plan. She should be respecting his powerful control of magic, not already breaking through his shell after a few hours. He pulled the shield back up.

"Yes, right. Well if you wish to test it out right now go ahead." He couldn't let her see his fear. He didn't know why this was important to him, but it was. He could deal with the transformation. She was only a girl.

He blinked. There, where she had been standing, was a small, mostly black snake. He knew very little about snakes, but she seemed like an adder. There was a faint diamond pattern visible if he looked hard. He supposed he could ask her, or just look it up himself when she wasn't around. Either way, she wasn't that scary…probably harmless.

She slid into the makeshift room with ease, and transformed back to her human form. It was very simple, but she wasn't one to complain about living conditions. She wanted to sink into the small bed right that minute and sleep away the stress, but that would have been extremely rude. She resumed her snake form and went back out.

"It's perfect sir, thank you." She said as soon as she changed back again. He nodded at her with a look of bored disinterest, which she assumed was his way of hiding how awkward this all was.

"Very well, it's getting late so I will get some dinner ready. Feel free to continue looking around while you wait." He swooped out of the room. That was the best way she could describe his movement. If it came to a question of who was more odd, he might have her beat. She shook her head as she continued down the hall, popping in rooms she hadn't seen yet.

He hurried to his tiny kitchen and prepared a rather bland meal as best he could. He was used to feeding himself, but his skills were minimal. Hopefully the girl wasn't expecting anything grand.

She seemed much more clever than he expected, with a bit of attitude. If she was as much of a pain as his regular students, Dumbledore was going to owe him big time.

Snape left the kitchen to get Athelina for dinner. He found her in the library, fast asleep on the floor with her face in a book. It was rather amusing, especially since she likely knew little about what she was reading. At least she was interested in learning, as long as she wasn't a know-it-all like the insufferable Granger girl it could be a positive thing. He cleared his throat, hoping she would wake up.

She jumped when she noticed him standing there. How long had she been sleeping for? "Oh my, I'm so sorry I must have just dozed off. I've been pretty tired. Was I sleeping long?" She was truly embarrassed, especially since she fell asleep on the floor.

"No I was just coming to get you for dinner. Didn't enjoy the reading then?" He couldn't hide his smirk. She blushed and got up to follow him into the dining room.

The rest of the evening went by with little conversation. They ate dinner, and Athelina went to bed. Snape sat in his library late into the night wondering how he was going to do this. Why did he promise to look after the Malfoy brat on top of everything else he had going on? He would need to plan out his lessons way ahead of time, plus find something for the girl to do all day so she wasn't sitting in his quarters for hours.

He also found an old muggle encyclopedia and looked up snake types. She was definitely an adder, and if animorphmagi ascribed to normal taxonomy, she was venomous. Great.

Eventually he made his way back to bed, so tired he mostly forgot about the woman sleeping in his wall.

The next two days went by in the same fashion. They made polite conversation, and eventually Snape would retire to work on his lessons. Athelina had taken to exploring the nearby village in snake form, listening to conversations or just watching people go about their business.

Just after dinner, two days after she had arrived, Athelina was about to take a "walk" around the countryside. She went to find Snape in the library and tell him where she was going. "Professor, I was just going to go…" She stopped dead when she saw the look of horror on his face. He was staring down at something on his arm.

Snape could feel the burning before he even looked. It wasn't the same burn as a summons, but it was a signal that he was close. The panic started to set in. How could he hide her in time? He looked down at the mark on his forearm just as he heard the door open. He turned in a panic. It was just the girl. He could see his own worry reflected in her face. Now she was panicking, and she didn't even know the danger they were both in.

"You need to transform right now. Stay out of sight, don't make any noise, and don't come out until I say it's safe. Don't think anything but…snakey thoughts. Try not to think at all actually." Snape was whispering, mostly so she couldn't hear his voice faltering. He needed to compose himself so he could clear his thoughts. "Now, he's coming!"

She transformed immediately and tried to think of somewhere to go, but she heard the front door open. Snape stopped and grabbed her, pushing her up the sleeve of his robe. She realized what he was doing and wrapped her way around his arm.

"Severus, are you in?" Snape heard him call from the front room. He knew he had to go out and meet him.

"Yes my lord, I was very focused on my task, terribly sorry I never heard you come in." He managed to disguise his fear appropriately, as always.

"Ah, planning out your lessons I see? I am glad you were able to secure the Dark Arts position this year Severus. The education of young wizarding minds is very important, and I fear their instruction in this area has been…lacking." Voldemort smiled, and it sent a small shiver down Snape's spine.

"I suppose you wonder what brings me here on an evening such as this. I admit I have been too busy to check in lately, but seeing that you are leaving for Hogwarts this weekend, I though it best to make sure you were still intent on our plan."

"Yes my lord, everything should go to plan as long as the boy does his job. I'll be there to assist him when he needs." Snape felt the snake moving down his arm and he twitched. It was an obvious movement Voldemort would not have missed.

"Excellent. Is something the matter Severus? You seem a bit on edge this evening." He was staring intently into Snapes eyes, hoping to catch a glimpse into his mind. Snape stood his guard.

"Nothing at all sir, just a slight chill I suppose. I haven't been outside much lately." It was a solid lie, and he bought it.

"Well you best take care of that. I wont interrupt your planning any longer, but be sure to keep in touch as things progress."

"Of course my lord, you can count on me." He stood still until Voldemort was gone, then performed a few silent charms to make sure he wasn't spying on him in any way. He may have fooled him, but he could never be sure.

The snake unraveled from his arm and turned back into a girl. She looked stunned. He walked her into the sitting room and sat her on a chair.

"I know that must have been tough for you, so I'll just give you a moment to calm down and I'll go…make some tea." He didn't know how to comfort people. Maybe she just needed some space. This was her first encounter with the man who destroyed her family, and she had been stuck up his sleeve. What a situation this was for them both.

She sat shaking in the chair. His voice had been horrible. There was no echo of her in that voice, but maybe that's what happened when you saturated yourself in evil.

She wished she could have seen him, but maybe that would have been worse. What had they been talking about anyways? Some kind of plan Snape was in on. He was a double agent; Dumbledore explained that. She shouldn't meddle in his business, but there was nothing wrong with being curious. After all, it involved family.

She drank her tea, refusing to speak to him about what happened. Refusing to speak to him at all really. Snape gave up trying to make her feel better, and just went to bed. Athelina was up all night.


	7. Chapter 7

Snape packed his belongings up and took them to the school via floo. Dumbledore connected his office fireplace to each teacher's house the day before term started, making sure they all arrived safely. He asked Severus to get there early that morning so he could help set things up for Athelina.

It was her first time using the floo, and he could tell she was a bit apprehensive about jumping in a fireplace. He knew she was still shaken up from their encounter with Voldemort two days ago, but she still didn't want to talk about it. At least yesterday had been civil. He wasn't big on small talk but he needed to explain what would be happening once they got to the school. Dumbledore had worked it out with the house elves so her meals would be coming to his room, and all her supplies had been delivered from Diagon Alley. All he needed to do now was get her there.

"I know it's a strange concept but it's no worse than apparating." It was starting to try his patience. She wasn't a child, did she need to be so afraid of the floo?

"Can't we just do that instead? This seems so weird and primitive. " She was staring at the lit fireplace skeptically.

"No we cannot. As I have said, you can't apparate into Hogwarts. If you want to be a witch you will have to floo at some point so lets get it over with, we don't have much time. " He was glaring at her now, and wished she would hurry up before he got seriously angry. She could sense the change in tone and decided she really had nothing to lose.

They arrive in Dumbledore's office a minute later, Athelina coughing up ash. She gasped as soon as they started spinning and inhaled a bit too much smoke. Snape waved his wand and cleaned her clothes off. It didn't do much since they were so ragged to begin with. It was a good thing Dumbledore had ordered her a few new sets of robes.

"Hello Professor Dumbledore!" She was genuinely pleased to see him. It was a side of her Snape wasn't accustomed to seeing.

"Hello dear! I hope you've been well. I suppose you are anxious to start your magical education? Mr. Olivander will be coming in this evening through Professor Snape's floo to do some tests so he can start making your wand. Until it comes in you will have to work on some magical theory. "

"Yes I have a few lessons planned out for her once term starts. All her other supplies are in my quarters already?" He interrupted before the girl cold say anything about her stay at his home. He would tell Dumbledore about the run in with Voldemort later on.

* * *

><p>Athelina was in awe. Everything about this place was magnificent. She could tell it was where she belonged.<p>

She hid herself in Snape's sleeve as he walked around the school, silently showing her around while pretending to check on security. She wished she could stop and spend hours just watching the activity in every crazy painting, or see where the moving staircases took her next. It was one big fairytale adventure, but she would be stuck in a little room the entire time. Maybe she could convince him to take her out once in a while. She was pretty easy to hide.

She felt like a little girl for the first time in years. Everything about the castle was wonderful, from the entrance hall to the dimly lit dungeons. Sadly, her magnificent tour came to an end as she was set down on Snape's desk. Even his classroom was exciting. The room was filled with magical items and pictures, and seemed a bit too cheery for Snape's taste. He must have also thought this because he went to work redecorating as soon as he sat her down. He put heavy curtains over the lovely windows, and pulled several candles out of a box. He hung these along the walls instead. It certainly looked like his house now.

* * *

><p>Snape needed to make sure no one could see into his classroom. He would probably need to use it when the girl was learning potions and wandwork. He didn't want her destroying his possessions. The heavy curtains made the room look overly gloomy, but he didn't mind that. It would oppress those brats before he even gave them homework. What else could he add for décor? The students were far too comfortable with this subject, and he needed to shock them back into reality. It wouldn't hurt to show the girl how serious he was about his job, either. He had a brilliant idea, and started summoning photos from the storeroom.<p>

"No one can get in here at the moment, so you are safe to turn back at any time." It felt strange breaking the silence, but he was uncomfortable with a snake staring at him so intently. She was easier to deal with in her normal shape.

"What on earth are you putting up? You're making this beautiful room look terrifying!" Now he understood the intense stare. She was upset with his choice of décor, how charming.

"If you must know, the curtains are so no one can see in. If someone chose to fly by the window on a broom maybe they would notice a snake turn into a woman. Did you have a problem with that or would you prefer I had a happier room put aside for your learning?"

She hated his attitude. He got some sick thrill out of demeaning her. Although she had to admit her outburst was a bit out of line. Serpentine emotions didn't transfer well to human form.

"It wasn't really the curtains sir, I meant the artwork." It was horrific. Each pictured showed horrible spells being done to other wizards. She had to stop looking at them before she threw up.

"Ah yes, those. I think they will do an excellent job emphasizing the importance of learning my subject, don't you?" He smiled. She was suddenly very afraid of his twisted sense of humor. She decided not to respond, and instead began examining the other interesting objects in the room.

They left the classroom about an hour later and made their way to the dungeons. Snape kept his old office, partly because he didn't want to move his ingredients, and partly because he liked the privacy. Athelina thought the room in the dungeons suited him perfectly. Well hidden, dark, mysterious, and weird. There were walls of strange ingredients she had never heard of, all in old dusty jars and vials. She went to pick up a jar that said fairy wing, but Snape turned around and grabbed her arm.

"Try not to touch any of that unless I tell you to. Some of it is very difficult to find."

His actual living quarters were behind the office, through a door beside his private stores. It was larger than his bedroom at home, but it also had a small sitting area with a fireplace and an attached lavatory. There were a few unopened boxes in one corner of the room, along with the few things he brought from home.

He went over to the unopened boxes and piled them on his bed. The small chair by the fire he transformed into a small bed along the wall, and the end table into a dresser.

"I hope that will be better than the hole in the wall. Now these boxes should contain all your school supplies and your new robes. You can check this list I made for Dumbledore and make sure it's all there. The dresser can be for whatever you wish to put away. I'll be in my office working on my lesson plans." He magically opened the boxes, handed her the list, and left her to the task.

There were 5 different boxes, and a list as long as her arm. The first box was full of clothing, so she took a look at the list.

7 sets of regular black robes

2 sets of protective dragon hide gloves

1 winter cloak

6 sets black socks

She checked all the items off, folded them and stuck them in a drawer. The next two boxes were filled with equipment. She checked them off as she put them away: quills, ink, parchment, glass phials, scales; she finally got through it all, with only one empty drawer. The last two boxes were the best. They were filled with books ranging from Hogwarts, A History to Advanced Potion Making. She filled the final drawer, leaving out the ones she wanted to start reading.

The new robes were lovely. She took a set and changed into them, placing her old robes in the bottom of one of the drawers. She would probably never wear them again anyways. Was she supposed to go find Professor Snape and tell him she was done, or did he just want her to wait here?

* * *

><p>He stopped writing to look at the clock. It had been 4 hours! Dinner had already passed and everything. He expected the girl to come get him once she was done unpacking, but she never did. Did she get anything to eat? He left his work and went back into his room. There she was, sitting on her bed eating a sandwich, A History of Magic in her hand.<p>

"I see you got dinner then." She hadn't even noticed him walk in.

"Oh, yes! Yours came too, just a few moments ago. I was going to come tell you but I started reading again and forgot." Her eyes didn't even leave the book.

"Right, well I assume all your supplies were there? And put that book down for a minute. You'll have hours to kill, you don't need to read everything in one sitting."

She looked up at him. "Sorry sir, and yes everything was there, and I have put it all away. When will Mr. Olivander be coming to get me a wand?"

"Oh shit, he'll be here any minute I'm sure! Come on we can wait in my office," he realized how hungry he suddenly was, "and bring the sandwiches."


	8. Chapter 8

An ancient wizard made his way out of the fireplace, carrying a large briefcase. He placed it on Snape's desk with a thud, and turned to look at the two occupants standing beside it.

"Ah Severus Snape, it has certainly been a long time! How is your… well now, who is this lovely young woman you have here? A friend of yours I am not familiar with?"

Snape sighed. The old wandmaker was known to be overly chatty. Snape was glad he was distracted by Athelina and didn't start questioning him on his wand. He wanted to get this over with.

"Her identity is really no concern of yours Garrick, she simply needs a wand. I suppose Dumbledore warned you that this meeting is strictly confidential?" He trusted the old man, but you never could be sure information wouldn't slip out.

"Right right, well come here miss and we can begin the tests."

Athelina had no idea what these tests were going to involve. Did she have to do magic? Were they medical? She walked around the desk and stood in front of him expectantly.

He pulled out a tape measurer, which began measuring her by itself. He started asking her strange questions, like what day of the week she was born on, and the time of day she preferred. In her opinion, he was a nut and just made it all up as he went along. What did her foot size and average hours of sleep have to do with getting a wand? After half an hour of insane questions and measurements, he decided he was finished and packed up.

"I will have your new wand ready for you in one week. I can deliver it personally at the same time to ensure it is in working condition. Will that suit you Severus?"

"Yes thank you, that will be fine. Good evening Mr. Olivander."

"Good evening to you both." He stepped back in the fireplace and was whisked away in the green flames.

Snape turned to look at her, laughing slightly at her bemused expression.

"Well, now that we have a wand out of the way, tomorrow we can start our lessons. I have a few meetings after breakfast, so we can start around noon. Students arrive tomorrow evening so I will need to go down for the banquet."

"Alright, that sounds good to me." She went back to her bed and continued reading.

The morning came quickly, and Snape found himself walking back from the staff meeting, irritated that he had to monitor students arriving at the school that evening. Who cared what they smuggled in anyways?

His plan for Athelina's first magic lesson was just a basic outline of magical history. She took detailed notes while he explained the founding of Hogwarts, the Ministry of Magic, witch-hunts, and a list of important wizards among many other facts. For someone who never went to school, she had lovely writing.

"…and that is why students are sorted into houses. Speaking of sorting, I need to leave a bit earlier to help with castle security when the students arrive. You can continue reading A History of Magic. Makes some notes on things I haven't mentioned, because I'll be testing you before we start practical magic. Tomorrow we can go over wizarding law. I'll be back later this evening." He left her to finish up her notes, eventually falling asleep with her book open on her lap.

Snape prepared his notes the next morning before breakfast. The students were sorted, timetables were out, and he had classes that needed to begin on just the right note.

"Sir, how long will you be teaching today? I've finished all my notes on magical history, and I'm wondering what you wanted me to read for magical law." She understood there was a lot for her to learn. She had years of education to make up for, and didn't want to spend all her adult life trying to play catch up. The faster she worked, the better.

"Oh, right. Well, I'll be back for a while after lunch to continue our lesson. I have a few books of my own you can browse through while you wait. Let me just look."

He stepped out of the room and into his office, grabbing a few books from a shelf and bringing them back to her.

"If you finish with all of that before the lesson I'll take you with me to my last class of the day." He had Potter's class last, and instantly regretted promising her she could come. He knew how fast she read.

The day went by without much problem. Every class resented having him teach DADA, except the Slytherins of course. He made sure his first lessons were challenging, but not impossible. He also made sure they noticed how pleased he was to finally be teaching his favorite subject. He had a quick lunch before going back to his office to see how many books the girl had managed to read.

Athelina was excited to go to one of his classes. Their one on one lectures involved him talking non stop, while she took notes. There was no room to ask questions, and no stopping to make sure she got everything. She expected his younger students had a difficult time keeping up with him, and it would be interesting to witness how he handled it all. So it was with utmost curiosity that she transformed and crawled into his sleeve, unknowingly coming face to face with Harry Potter for the first time.

Students, who only looked a few years younger than her, were already sitting at the desks as they walked in. Everything suddenly went quiet, as they all turned to face Professor Snape with looks that were certainly not respect or anticipation. Did they honestly dislike him that much?

That question was quickly answered. Yes, they certainly disliked him, and he didn't feel strongly about them either. She felt a bit bad for the students, because he really wasn't a terrible person from her experience. He was downright rude to a few of the students in this class, as if he seriously hated them.

The week continued in the same manner. She would spend most of the day studying, until Snape came back for her lessons. He could tell she was getting tired of sitting around all day staring at books while the other students roamed the grounds, but there wasn't much he could do. As much as he disliked admitting it, he even felt a bit sorry for her. This would probably change once her wand arrived.

For Athelina, the weekend didn't come fast enough. She never thought she would get tired of books, but she hadn't done anything else besides sitting in on a few classes, watching Snape harass students. It was finally Saturday, which meant her wand should be coming in only a few hours.

She decided to take the morning off and do some drawing while she waited for Snape to get back from monitoring detentions. He had explained detention to her, and she didn't understand how a student could possibly be in trouble after only a week. She passed the day trying to remember the faces of her grandparents, transferring them to parchment. Before she knew it, lunch had come and gone, and dinner was fast approaching.

Snape usually enjoyed Saturdays. It was a day he could get his own things done, spend some time to himself, or take a trip to Hogsmeade if he wanted to get away for a bit. He did not enjoy Saturdays when he had detention duty. It was like being punished for the student's poor behavior. He sat through several hours of griping misbehavers, missing both lunch and dinner. He managed to arrive at his office just in time to meet Olivander, delivering the wand.

"It took me some time to make a wand I was happy with, but I think this one will fit perfectly with her. It seems a bit feisty, but should be very powerful."

"Excellent, I'll call her out to test it." Snape stuck his head in the other room and motioned for Athelina to come out. She had been sitting and waiting for the past few hours, because she ran out of other things to keep her occupied.

"There she is! Here you go dear, give it a wave!" Olivander handed her a beautiful looking wand. Very sleek, reddish brown. It fit perfectly in her hand. She was so awestruck she barely heard his rambling.

"Cherry and dragon heartstring, 12 ½ inches. A very interesting combination actually, indicates terrible power, should only choose a wizard with strength of mind. I rarely see them together. Cherry wood has a lethal power, often feared. Dragon heartstring, as you know, can be very temperamental." Snape could understand the meaning of her wand, knowing her family history. Olivander obviously didn't know who she was, but knew somewhere in her was a magical strength not often found in wizards.

Athelina could feel the power running from the wand through her body. She did as he said and gave it a wave, and a magnificent fiery light flew from the tip around the room. She couldn't stop smiling. She was completely giddy.

Snape simply nodded and handed Olivander a bag with the money to pay for the wand. She could tell the old wizard wanted to stay and ask questions, but Snape ushered him towards the fireplace. What she didn't see was him pulling out his own wand, pointing it at the back of Olivander's head and muttering "obliviate".

**A/N - Interesting fact: For her wand, I used the one I was given on Pottermore. I thought it appropriate.**


	9. Chapter 9

"So what do I do with this, just wave it around at things?" Athelina started swishing her new wand through the air. Snape thought she was acting like a child.

"No, stop doing that. There is a lot of technique and you need to learn spells. First you need to learn a bit of responsibility." She had been doing well, but he figured it was a matter of time before that illusion shattered. Apparently this moment was it.

"I know all about the responsibility, I've read every bloody book I possibly could. I want to start charms and potions, and do the things your other defense classes learn. " She would admit she was whining, but she had been so bored all week. Here was a chance to finally do something cool, and he wanted her to read more. Being cooped up like a pet was certainly taking a toll on her usual "fend for myself" personality, and maybe something to work on would help her keep her head. She sighed.

"Alright, I'll give you some easy spells to try, and Monday we can start working on potions. Just don't start destroying my shelves. I want to use my classroom for your spell practicing." He wanted to be there when she was doing spell work, but he couldn't justify forcing her to read books forever. He would go crazy in her position.

She worked all evening and most of Sunday on basic spells. She got Lumos, could levitate objects, change object colour, and even disarm him. Snape had to admit she had a knack for spellwork. It would make his job easy.

Snape returned from lunch on Monday, prepared to bring her to his last class. He took a collapsible cauldron and a few ingredients into the room that morning, so they could stay behind when the classes were done.

Harry had almost given up on learning anything useful in DADA. He sat in the Great Hall, dreading going to class that afternoon, mindlessly watching the names move around on the Marauders Map. Suddenly, he noticed something strange in the classroom he should have been leaving to walk to. Right beside the Severus Snape dot was another name he had never seen. It said Athelina Kinsey, and it was pacing back and forth beside Snape. He decided he wanted to go to class after all.

Athelina hated sitting in on this class. Snape was horrible to the children, especially Harry Potter. Shouldn't he be kinder to the boy who stopped Voldemort the first time? She just didn't get him.

Today was especially bad. The boy came in early, looking around as if expecting someone other than his professor. He sat down looking befuddled, and glared suspiciously towards the front of the room through the entire class.

She didn't enjoy potion making much. There were too many things to constantly be watching, and the slightest mistake could jeopardize the entire thing. Spells were so much better. She had a knack for them, and all you needed to know was the motion and the words. This was too much precision and following instruction.

She worked very hard over the next month, managing to get a good handle on all the magic taught in first year. While she was a bit of a burden; Snape had to admit he was pleased with her hard work. He made a list of everything she needed to practice before he tested her, and took a break from lessons to let her study. He needed to meet with Draco anyways.

* * *

><p>Harry hadn't given up on watching Snape, but he was slowly becoming more obsessed with Draco. He had nearly forgotten the mysterious name, until he followed the Draco Malfoy dot into Snape's office that afternoon. Athelina Kinsey, in the little quarters behind Snape's office, alone. Why did he have a guest in the school he wasn't paying attention to? Who was she, and why was he meeting with Draco? Maybe she was some new death eater he hadn't heard of. He walked quickly down to the dungeon just in time to see Snape and Malfoy emerging.<p>

"Mr. Potter, did you enjoy your last detention with me so much that you were looking for another?"

"No sir, I just had a question to ask you…about…a spell and"

"Shouldn't you be heading to Hogsmeade with the rest of your class? You can ask me your trivial questions on Monday." Snape had no time for Potter's nonsense excuses as to why he was spying. He needed to get him away from Athelina, and fast. He told her not to leave the room for a while, but he could never be sure when she would be so absorbed in her work that she wandered without thinking. Once she started something she was rather obsessive. It was good for Snape, because he didn't need to spend so much time explaining spells to her. He made sure both Malfoy and Potter had left before he went back in.

"Well, how is your studying going?" She had been ready to write the spell portion of the test without studying, but he didn't tell her that. She really only needed to practice potions.

"It's fine, I have everything down I think. I started looking ahead in a few of my books but I was having trouble with a few things." She looked exhausted. He was going to give her more work while he went down to supervise Hogsmeade, but he decided she probably needed a break. She might lose it if he left her alone again.

"Why don't you leave the books for a while and come with me to the village? I'll just be patrolling the streets a bit, but it's some fresh air, and you can see what a complete wizarding community looks like. "

There was no question that she wanted to go. She hadn't been outside since she got there, and the dungeon was always so dark. She wanted to experience the interactions of the wizarding world outside the classroom.

She assumed her regular position in the sleeve of his robe as they made their way to Hogsmeade.

There was a fresh snowfall over the picturesque village, making it look like the front of a Christmas card. She was in awe, not just of the beautiful and magical community, but the snow itself. She spent most of her life in the South, but as a young child on the run there were a few months when they lived closer to Scotland that she got to experience a real winter. It fascinated her as a little girl, and she wished she could reach out and touch it.

The only problem with snow was it meant it was cold. Snake's didn't do well in the cold, which is why most normal snakes turned dormant in the winter. Athelina hadn't been outside in the snow as a snake before, so she didn't understand why she suddenly felt so sleepy and slow.

Snape made a few laps around the village, scowling at students and breaking up couples looking for privacy in alleys. He made a point of going past all the interesting shops and sights so Athelina could see, but as the first hour wore on he noticed she wasn't looking around as much. When they walked he could always feel her swiveling in every direction to take in as much of everything they passed. It was uncomfortable for him, so it wasn't hard to tell she was being uncharacteristically still. Something was wrong.

He chased some 7th year students out of a back alley and cast a few spells to make sure they weren't bothered, and he attempted to pull the snake off his arm. She was cold and barely moving.

"Come on ridiculous girl change back! You're going to freeze if you don't" She wouldn't freeze, just go dormant, but the girl probably didn't know that because she never spent an entire winter as a snake.

She transformed on the ground, shivering and still barely awake. She didn't have a cloak on over her robes so Snape cast a warming charm over her.

"What just happened?" She focused on the look of concern spread on his face. She was human, in an alley and surprisingly warm given all the snow.

"You were getting too cold for a reptile. You can't stay in my sleeve, but I can't take you back yet either… so what should we do now?" He had no good excuse for running the girl back to the school. She could probably wander without suspicion for an hour or so until his shift was up.

"I'm going to let you walk around for a while until I'm finished. Don't talk to anyone suspicious, just act like you're some foreign visitor or something. Avoid places where teachers can see you. I don't want Dumbledore to know I'm letting you go out by yourself. In two hours meet me just off the path back towards the school."

"Ok got it. I just want to look in some of the shops, is that fine?" She was trying to hide how excited she was, incase he changed his mind.

"Yes just be careful. Here, take some money incase you want something small. I'll get it back from Dumbledore once I think up an excuse." He handed her a small pouch of coins. This was the first time she had any money of her own to spend, never mind wizard money.

She wandered in and out of every shop until her feet were sore. She laughed at the students trying to buy banned products from the joke shop and hide them, and marveled at all the sweets in Honeydukes. She bought some nice writing supplies, a book for her own interests, and some chocolate frogs. She proceeded to people watch as she wandered through the streets. All the kids laughing and enjoying themselves really made her wish she had a normal childhood, with friends to gossip with and flirt. Even though they were a bit younger than her, some of the 7th year boys were pretty attractive. She fell into her own thoughts as she walked down towards the main square.

She wandered down an alley where she saw that blonde boy pulling a wrapped up package out of his cloak. She caught a glimmer of something sparkly as he walked behind the Three Broomsticks. Maybe he was giving it to a girl, but from what she had seen he really didn't seem like the type.

She forgot about the boy as she headed back towards the path where she was supposed to meet Snape. There was a gut-wrenching scream, and she looked up the path from the shadows to see what was going on.

The source of the screaming was a girl, her hands clutched around a large necklace, her eyes vacant. A familiar looking wrapping was lying at her feet. Athelina managed to get out of the way and into the shadows again as 3 students came rushing to the girl's recue. She needed to go meet Snape, but she could hardly move from her spot. Could she have done something to stop it? Should she go help? Her heart was racing like crazy.

Snape heard the scream, and he panicked. If something happened to the girl after leaving her for only an hour he was done. He carefully rushed in the direction of the screaming, but he stopped when he saw a figure in the shadows. He grabbed her shoulder and steered her into an alley.

"Change quickly, lets go." His voice was stern and demanding. He'd been uncharacteristically worried, but he wouldn't let her see that. The poor girl was terrified.

They got back to his office as fast as he could get there.

"What happened! What did you see!" He knew someone would be coming along quickly to ask for his help, but he needed to know as much as he could.

"I heard the scream, and a girl was holding a necklace and yelling. I think she was cursed. It was horrible."

"Did you see who did it? Did anyone see you?" That was all he needed.

"When I was in an alley I saw that blonde haired boy from your house. He was holding something wrapped up in the same cloth that was at her feet. He was heading to the pub. Is she going to be all right? Was there something I could have done?"

Snape said nothing. He glared out the window. Draco was an idiot. He didn't want to keep such a close eye on the boy, but apparently he was going to be difficult.

"Stay in the back. Calm down, have some tea or something. I'll be back in a few hours."

He got up and left her sitting there, wondering what kind of society she was getting mixed up in when teenagers would try to kill each other. She probably wasn't going to be allowed to walk around on her own again either.

**A/N It took me a while to get this one done, but hopefully chapters should be easier from now on **


	10. Chapter 10

After the incident in Hogsmeade, Athelina spent most of her time working and studying. Snape wanted to protect her from seeing any more serious curses, because he didn't like dealing with her when she was so shaken up. She didn't focus well.

She was doing very well on all the tests he had been setting up for her. He had never felt particularly proud of a student before, and it was a strangely nice experience. Of course, her potion making still wasn't excellent. She nearly blew them both up one day, which didn't amuse him very much.

Athelina found him kind of amusing when he was angry. He acted like he was so scary, but she didn't really see it. She felt bad for destroying yet another cauldron, but it really wasn't her thing. He made her clean the mess up and brought her back to his office before his classes started.

He tried punishing her with cleaning by hand whenever she made a mess, but it was mostly to assert some kind of power over her sense of entitlement. She openly mocked him when he was angry, and it drove him crazy.

"I need to see all the essays I've given you back. Where did you put them?" Snape had called her to his desk one night in December.

"I have them in my drawer, why do you want them?" She did well on all her essays and tests. She had nothing but time to perfect her writing and to research for papers, so she put in a lot of effort.

"Dumbledore wants a report on your work when I go to meet with him tonight. I'm just going to bring him a few good examples if you don't mind."

"You're meeting him just about me? Can you ask him to get me another quill? I'm down to my last one." She wrote a lot, her quills broke rather often.

"I'm not meeting him about you, we are discussing an important job of mine. You can have another of my quills." Dumbledore needed more work done on his cursed hand. He was starting to fade slowly, and Snape had some new spells to try.

* * *

><p>He knocked on the door of Dumbledore's office. There were two voices coming from behind the door. The old wizard opened it, and Harry Potter left the room giving him a very suspicious glance.<p>

"Ah good Severus. You have the new spell figured out I assume?"

"Yes. How are things going with Potter? Are you regretting using such an arrogant boy for such an important task?" He knew all the reasons it had to be Potter, but he still hated the boy.

"Not at all, although things are going a bit slowly. How is the girl doing?" He knew she was brilliant, but he liked hearing Snape express pride in a student for once. It was good for him.

"Very well, recovered after the cursed necklace business. I never told her it was meant for you, but she refuses to be anywhere near Draco now. Can't exactly blame her. She's been working hard." Maybe a bit too hard, she was getting ahead of his lesson plans.

"That's nice. What are you doing for Christmas?"

That was quite a subject change. Snape never did anything over the break. He had no family to spend it with. He was usually working. It took him off guard.

"I… nothing really I guess. I was just going to stay at the school." He forgot he would have the girl over the holidays as well. Would she expect something different than routine?

"Why don't you take Athelina on a little trip? I have some work for you to do researching a lead in Albania. No one will know or suspect her there, and she can get outside and see some of the world." Dumbledore knew if they stayed here she wouldn't get a break at all.

Snape had no good reason to stay at the school, so he agreed. He would tell her when the break was closer, or she wouldn't be able to concentrate on her work for the rest of the month.

The break was fast approaching. Dumbledore had set up a place for them to stay, in a hotel near a large forest. Snape didn't vacation, so he had no idea what he was supposed to do to make it enjoyable for the girl. He had very little work to actually do, but Dumbledore was making them stay for 5 days. It was something the Headmaster could easily have done himself, but Snape figured there was an ulterior motive to giving the job to him. Some plan to give him a rest from working all the time.

He returned to his room and threw a small bag on her bed.

"Pack that up with whatever you need. We are being forced to go on vacation." He couldn't really get excited because he thought it was a waste of his time, but he could see her eyes light up.

"Where? Are we really? No work just exploring?" She was thrilled. The school would have been boring over the break, but now she got a real vacation.

"We are going to Albania. We leave in two days so make sure you are ready to go. Only bring things you will need." He knew Dumbledore would be sending people to make sure she was having a good time. He didn't know what Dumbledore had told the muggles they were there for, or their names, but he assumed he was going to be updated.

* * *

><p>They apparated down the road from the hotel. It was a sunny and fairly warm day, and the hotel was on a gorgeous hillside. Athelina was completely thrilled already. They were to pretend they were a research team looking at nature or something like that. She didn't worry much about that. Prof. Snape said there were beaches here and everything.<p>

The muggles running the hotel were overly kind, and maybe a bit nosy. The woman showed them upstairs. It was certainly small. She saw Snape's nose wrinkle as he looked around. She thanked the woman and shut the door.

There was very little room, and only one bed. She sat down on the tiny chair beside the desk and pulled her things out of the bag. He was staring at the bed presumably deciding what to do.

Why on earth would Dumbledore send them here? This would never work. He couldn't add another bed like he did in his room, and he couldn't expand the wall without muggles noticing. This was awkward and befuddling. He was going to ignore it for now and go for a walk, or whatever it was people did when befuddled on vacation.

The forest was lovely, and the weather was perfect. She managed to find a beach, although it was still winter so she would never be able to swim. She was so exhausted from all the walking and exploring she completely forgot where she'd left Snape. As it turned out, he was wandering the forest collecting potion ingredients he couldn't get in England. It was kind of like a hobby she supposed, so it was a good step.

"Well, this is a problem." They finally made it back to address the sleeping situation.

"I suppose. I can just…why don't I sleep as a snake, over on the chair? I'll just arrange some clothes and you can set me up there. It should be ok." She hated sleeping as a snake, but there were no other options she could see.

"If you honestly don't mind. I'll try to think of something else for tomorrow." He relaxed a bit. There had to be something he could do to make this room even a little bigger. It was starting to suffocate him.

Athelina woke up the next day in knots. She couldn't get the kink out of her neck all day, no matter what she tried. They walked along the hillsides, even found a waterfall, but none of it could fix her foul mood. She hoped he would find some other sleeping arrangements because she couldn't go another day like this.

"Please come up with something else. I feel like my neck is turning to stone." She was being dramatic all day, and he needed to come up with a plan just to make her stop complaining.

He spent an hour testing various spells on the room, trying in vain to make something work. He got more frustrated and irritable with every passing minute, until he threw his wand down on the bed in disgust.

"That's it… this is the best I can do." He waved his wand and the bed expanded nearly twice the size. "You can sleep over on that side as far as you can get, or you'll just have to deal with the crippling neck pain another night." He really didn't care what she decided; he was going to sleep.

She expected it to be extremely awkward, but the bed was so big she had no idea he was there. They were both so exhausted the next morning came in what seemed like seconds after their eyes closed. That day was very productive for both of them. Athelina was collecting plants for her healing assignments while Snape finished up his task for Dumbledore in a nearby village. After a lot of walking, they both came back as the sun was about to go down. They climbed into their respective sleeping territories and fell sound asleep.

It had been the best sleep of Snape's life, and he woke up feeling refreshed, but something was off.

"GAH!" He opened his eyes and noticed a person beside him. A little too close. He shut his eyes again… this was all just a dream. Did he have his arm around her? He felt her stir beside him. Then the screaming started.

"AHH WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" She jumped out of the bed, pulling the blanket around her as if he hadn't seen her in night robes every evening for the past 5 months.

"What was I doing? What were you doing? You should have stayed on your side!" This was all her fault. If she hadn't been complaining so much…

"I wasn't the one trying to suffocate you with my arm now was I?" That was an exaggeration, but still. He felt like he was going to vomit. She looked like she was going to murder him. They couldn't stay there, in the same room, with nothing to do but avoid each other.

"We need to leave. Let's just go back to the castle. Pack up your things."

He collected himself and pushed the memory to the back of his mind.

* * *

><p>They returned to the school, and attempted to get back into their routine, perhaps a bit more formal than they were before.<p>

A few weeks went by. Athelina continued her work, but things just seemed off. She was doing just as well as before, maybe even better, but Snape still felt a bit ill whenever he was near her. She was pushing herself harder than before, probably to try and apologize to him for the entire ordeal. It was mostly her fault after all; she was just a girl.

Athelina was hoping that as the months wore on things would start to get better between them. In fact, they were probably getting worse. She couldn't say they had been friends, but at least she had some positive social contact to keep her sane. Now he barely stayed in the same room as her, except to sleep.

He left assignment lists in the morning before he left, and would bring her into his classroom twice a week to work on potions. Other than that, they rarely spoke to each other. For a while, she thought excelling at her work would fix whatever his problem was, but it didn't make any difference.

The worst part was the memory she had of that day, walking along the beach, picking plants in the forest, just getting along without the pressure of school in the way. She had a faint memory of waking up in the middle of the night, feeling an arm around her, and not being worried about why it was there at all.

She needed to fix this, if only to have the smallest hint of that feeling back again. Security.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N It was hard writing the second half of this chapter, but it's a bridge that needed to be crossed eventually**

"I just feel it would be best if you let someone else teach her from now on. She isn't getting the attention she needs from me, and she studies well enough that anyone can look after her. I've been so preoccupied I can't handle it anymore." He made his argument, but he knew it wasn't very strong. Dumbledore wasn't going to go for any of it.

He was unable to handle being around her at all. Night was the worst. He would have these horrifying dreams that woke him up with that same sick feeling he experienced whenever he was in a room with her. He couldn't eat, he barely slept, and it was starting to affect his teaching.

Dumbledore smiled at him. How did he always seem to see right through everything you told him?

"Severus, I have known you for quite a while," the tone of his voice was gentle, the way someone would talk to a child, "and I know you can handle difficult tasks. This one is far easier than most, and you were doing well up to a point. I know watching Draco and making my potions isn't that draining, so what is the real reason you don't want to look after the girl anymore?" He folded his hands on the desk and stared straight into Snape's eyes, making him a bit uncomfortable.

"Honestly? You seem pretty sure of my reason without me even telling you, so why don't you tell me?" Snape asked in a rather commanding tone. He wanted to prove him wrong, just once. Mostly he was trying to avoid telling him the real reason.

As upset as he was, he felt a bit bad about giving up on something that probably was extremely important to the old man. He was dying, after all.

"You want to know what I think your problem is? Well you've made it fairly obvious, haven't you?" Dumbledore beamed at him across the desk, "You're in love with her."

Snape's jaw dropped. That wasn't the answer he expected at all, and he had absolutely no retort. Obviously he was wrong; completely wrong. Snape knew what love felt like, didn't he? His unrequited love had been driving him his entire life. He would have known love if it snuck up on him again suddenly. She was just a girl, and his student.

"Severus, are you alright? You had realized it hadn't you?' Concern spread over his face where the smile danced moments before.

"I am certainly not in love with her Albus. She is my student and a child. Besides, you already know where my heart lies. Is it not what you have used in your favor the past several years?" He was shouting now. Where was all this anger suddenly coming from?

"Calm down my friend." Dumbledore moved around the desk and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I know you think you love Lily, but you were young then, and this obsession has been haunting you your entire life. Sometimes you need to let yourself be happy again and let it go. Here is your chance to be carefree again."

Dumbledore had put a lot of thought into this ever since he noticed Snape's behavior towards the girl changing. The age difference was a bit troubling, but maybe it was something they both needed, to finally get a taste of freedom. Just getting him to let go of the past would be a small victory.

Snape shrugged away from his comforting gesture and stood up.

"I think I need to spend some time alone. Excuse me." He left without another look at the headmaster. He was insulted, hurt, angry, confused. He didn't actually know what he was feeling, and that was probably the worst part. The sick feeling he got whenever he was around her? That wasn't love as he remembered it.

Of course, he didn't remember what actual love felt like anymore. Dumbledore was at least right about that. All he had known for years was obsession.

* * *

><p>Athelina was so absorbed in her work she didn't even notice the second plate come up at dinnertime. She almost fell out of her chair when he walked in a few minutes later and grabbed it. Why was he suddenly eating in his office? She put her own work down to eat, expecting him to leave again after he was done. However, she still heard him shuffling papers after her plate had disappeared. He didn't have that much work to do did he? It was the longest he'd been in the office in weeks.<p>

She needed some sneaky way to see what he was up to. It wasn't her business, but she had little else to do.

She decided to act like she had misplaced a book. She chose one she hadn't used in a month or so and stuck it under her dresser. Maybe it was a bit over the top, but she needed to cover all her bases. She headed for the door with her best attempt at a bothered and confused expression.

"Oh, I'm sorry sir! I didn't know you were still here." She smiled a bit then started looking around the floor. He shuffled whatever he was looking at under a piece of parchment. There was no quill, and it didn't seem like he was marking anything. What was he looking at he didn't want her to see? She needed to get a closer look. She moved towards the desk.

"Is there something I can help you with Miss Kinsey? I'm a rather busy man." His voice was the usual silky drawl he addressed his students with. It hurt her, and she didn't understand why.

Maybe she just hadn't seen herself as one of his regular students. She had apparently been wrong. Had she really just been another annoying child to him, and he reached the point where he could no longer pretend she wasn't? It made no sense.

She realized she never answered his question, and she almost forgot her fake reason for standing in front of his desk. "Oh…I was just… looking for a book I was missing. I thought it might be out here somewhere." She skimmed the top of his desk as if she thought the little stacks of parchment might be hiding her giant textbook. Even she had to admit it was a difficult story to believe. His hand shot to whatever he had been covering up just as she reached towards it. She barely brushed his hand, and he suddenly went tense. He was looking a bit ill, actually. She didn't remove the offending fingers, just continued to stare at him.

"I have seen nothing of yours, and if I did it would be returned to your room just as you are about to be. Thank you." He jerked his hand back, taking the stack of paper and shoving it in a drawer. She accepted defeat and left the room, more confused than she was before.

* * *

><p>He had been sitting in his office, trying to figure out what the root of his problem really was. He loved Lily Evans. It was the one solid fact that allowed him to go on every day. How could Dumbledore even suggest he suddenly let it all go for a little girl?<p>

Well, she wasn't exactly a little girl he supposed. She was a young woman. She still had a long life ahead of her, plenty of time to meet a young man and fall in love.

Even if for some idiotic reason he were interested in her, why would she ever want to be with him? It was completely preposterous!

He barely touched his dinner, instead choosing to pull out the few reminders he had of Lily. It hurt to remember, but something felt different. He was starting to realize that what he missed weren't actual memories, but what he wished had been.

The pain was difficult to manage at the best of times, but this feeling that his entire life had been spent wishing for a love he would never have hurt in a completely new way.

Just when he thought he would completely break down, the door opened and the girl walked in. She was scanning the floors in a halfhearted attempt to find something. How dare she interrupt him, as if she was coming to scoff at his sorrow? He quickly hid his letters and photos as she turned around and started looking at his desk. What an insolent little creature she was!

He put his hand on the papers just before she reached out to take them, and it happened: that electricity that had been bothering him so much over the past month. What kind of new evil made his skin burn that way when she as much as brushed it? He couldn't move, and she was just standing there staring at him. He had to snap out of it, to get her out of there.

He remembered saying something and watching her leave, but whatever she did to him startled him so much he just sat there for an hour. He would have to look it up, incase she had been teaching herself some kind of dark magic all those hours he left her alone.

Over the next few days, he spent all his spare time in his office. Partly looking up any spells that allow you to burn someone else by touching them, and partly listening for anything suspicious.

He found a few spells that were potential candidates, but they all had incantations. To work, she would have had to practice wordless magic.

His plan was brilliant. All he needed to do was try to teach her wordless magic, and see how quickly she picked it up. The added bonus was having a reason to keep an eye on what she was up to.

He surprised her a bit when he announced he would be teaching her wordless magic. She remembered how much trouble his more experienced students had with it. Why was he suddenly taking an interest in her education again?

The magic was difficult, and she felt like it was going nowhere. Her mind had to concentrate on the spell completely, and it was hard with him staring at her as if she would suddenly explode. They worked for three hours straight before he finally got fed up and went back to his office.

He needed another approach to figure out what she was doing wrong. It was hard for all the other brats, but she was advancing at a pace they would never be able to fathom. Maybe it was her wand technique. He decided to try again after dinner.

She practiced the wand movements over and over again, but they made no difference. His impatience with her lack of improvement finally got to him, and he reached out to grab her wand and show her.

This time it was his hand that brushed hers, and the burning came back. There was no way she could have initiated that. He jumped back and dropped the wand. The look of shock in her eyes confirmed that this was no dark magic on her part.

He mumbled some excuse as to where he was going and left her there to feebly attempt the spells again.

He took a walk up one of the towers, trying to collect his thoughts. He remembered how he liked to walk and think when he was young. There was no pain then, and no burning sensation torturing his skin. All he remembered was the fluttering sensation he felt whenever Lily looked at him. He could remember her face perfectly. He dreamed of it most nights, when he wasn't plagued with nightmares.

He stayed out until everyone else was asleep, and collapsed on his bed.

The dreams came back again, but this time, the face was distorted, the picture wasn't as clear. She was fading from his mind. Soon there was no way to tell who the young woman was.

Only one part of the image was visible enough to distinguish. Two eyes were staring at him, very clearly from the blurred face, and they certainly weren't green.


	12. Chapter 12

She had finally been able to cast a spell wordlessly. It took her all night, and it was pretty flimsy, but she did it. Exhausted, she never even noticed when Snape came back in.

The entire day had been strange. He suddenly decided it was his job to put an effort into her teaching, and he did so with vigor. The weird part was the way he jumped when he accidentally touched her.

He was still sleeping when she woke up that morning, and the room was very dark. It was probably out of line for her to try and wake him up, especially when she didn't know the time.

She couldn't help staring at his dark figure, so peaceful deep in slumber. His face was mostly masked in darkness, but it seemed almost regal. All the strain and the burdens she usually saw were wiped away.

He stirred, and the spell was broken. She snapped out of the strange trance she had been in, and pretended to still be asleep. What would he have thought, had he caught her staring?

He was awake, but still groggy. The final image of his dream was still clear in his mind, and it irked him. He turned and looked across the room, making sure she was still asleep. He could slip out without speaking to her.

* * *

><p>It was all very awkward, and needed to be dealt with somehow. He wanted time to think, but the more time he spent inside his head, the less he was getting done outside of it.<p>

He had a lot of responsibility in the coming weeks. Students were preparing for exams, Draco was hopefully making progress with his task, and Dumbledore… well he was slowly getting worse. He was a calm and collected man, who could hide his emotions at all times. Lately, he had so many emotions this exterior was difficult to retain.

He walked past the Room of Requirement just as someone was leaving it; a very blonde and elusive someone. Snape walked up and clasped a strong hand on his shoulder.

"Ah Draco, just the…_man _I wanted to see." He couldn't hide his smirk, especially when the boy scowled at the obvious jab. He certainly hadn't lost his knack for cruelty.

"What do you want? I'm obviously a bit busy!" The young Malfoy spat.

"Oh but that is exactly what I wanted to have a chat about. You see, I'm supposed to be assisting you with your task, and I still have absolutely no idea what you are up to. So tell me Draco, how is it going?"

"Well enough thank you, sir. I suppose it would be polite of me to ask how _your _task is going." The mock politeness in his tone was followed by a smirk similar to the one Snape had worn a few moments before.

A blank stare was now on the professor's face. How much did this boy know, and what task did he think he was talking about? Surely he was just bluffing to try and get a reaction.

"I would advise you not to open your mouth and try to play your little games with me, idiot boy. It make work on your thick little friends, but you forget it is my job to see through the likes of you."

With that, he turned abruptly and started walking. To where, he wasn't sure, but he didn't need the boy to see that his little game actually got a rise out of him. All he needed was another student hounding him for secrets.

He was so absorbed in thought that he completely forgot he had been avoiding his room.

Athelina jumped when the door slammed. She had been reading again, because what else was there to do? She was trying to improve some of her potion techniques. She was going to complain about the noise, but the look on his face made her change her mind.

He turned and looked at her, his eyes widening as if he had forgotten she was there. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, then stopped and just sat down. Despite her curiosity, she decided to leave him be and go back to her book.

"What could his issue be now?" She thought. Surely a teacher couldn't have that many problems. However, prying never seemed to go well for her.

He simply sat and stared at the wall. He didn't even want to look and see whether she had stopped looking at him. He wasn't mentally prepared to deal with her at the moment, especially when just looking at her brought on a rather uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach.

He needed to get back on track, and snap out of all this nonsense. He was fine before, completely in control of her, and she had been making so much progress. As strict a teacher as he was, he still appreciated the contribution a wizard with her talent could make to society.

He just needed to figure a few things out, and get back into his teaching. These were times he wished there was someone he could trust, a close friend to offer advice. Alas, friends were hard to come by with his reputation. He decided to go see Dumbledore instead.

"Take the morning off, I'll be back later." It was a barely audible mumble, but she was pretty sure that's what he said.

* * *

><p>He walked up to Dumbledore's office. It was still early, but he would certainly be up there. He knocked on the door, and had to wait a few moments before the old man answered. His illness was starting to show.<p>

"Severus, what brings you here this early?" There was a knowing look on the headmaster's face, as if he suspected what brought Snape there.

"I have something I want to talk to you about."

"Oh yes of course. Actually, now that you mention it, there was something I wanted to discuss with you also." A look of concern crossed his face for a brief moment.

"Oh well then why don't you go first. I can wait." He was still struggling with whether or not this conversation would be a good idea.

"How much do you tell Athelina about the goings on in the Wizarding World? Does she know about the Order?"

Snape was silent for a moment. He had told her about the basic goings on in wizarding government, but he had never bothered to tell her about the Death Eaters, or the Order. She obviously knew some things from Dumbledore, but he didn't know what stopped him from explaining it all to her.

"No, I suppose I haven't." He was a bit ashamed to admit it now.

Dumbledore nodded.

"I think you need to explain things to her a bit more. You also need to tell her the part you play, and have played, in all of it." His look was grave.

Snape now realized why he hadn't told her previously. He didn't want her finding out who he really was. She was the only person who trusted him completely.

"I can't do that. When she finds out what I've done…" He was going to be sick.

"She will do what? Where will she go, who can she trust besides you? It's up to you to explain it to her properly then! Think about it Severus! You need to start preparing her for what is about to happen. When the inevitable comes, she will want to know why." He was right, of course.

Snape hadn't even thought of that. What was he going to do with her when all their plans started coming together? It was a world she didn't fit into, but she needed to.

"Now then, you can decide how you want to go about that. In the meantime, what was it you had wanted to talk about?" He asked softly.

"You knew what I wanted to talk about, but it's hardly relevant now is it?" Snape was bordering on angry, but he was so burdened all of a sudden that his words just sounded sad. "There is no way she will ever want to be with me when she finds out what I've done. Of course, there was no chance she would anyways, but I had a glimmer of hope. You try to convince me this is a good thing; that I shouldn't try to cut off my feelings. I almost had hope again Albus, but you want me to tell her everything I've done. When the time comes, how will she understand what I have to do?" He fell into a chair, his head in his hands.

"Severus, Severus, you never give up hope. Think about your relationship now. I know you aren't very close, especially recently. You need to work at it, regain her trust. Start telling her slowly. When she actually gets to know you, when you start to open up, you never know what will happen. Regardless of what she thinks of you, you need to be there for her as you promised me you would. Right now you are barely getting by." His speech was finished, and he got up to leave. "You can think about that for a while, but you had better start soon. Now, I'm going to breakfast." With that, he left Snape in the office to collect his thoughts.

**A/N So it's been a while. This is a bit short, but I just felt like I needed to make a bit of progress. Now that I'm back in the groove the rest should come easily**


	13. Chapter 13

Snape went down to breakfast, and thought up a plan as he ate. What he really needed to do was apologize for his recent behavior, and start getting back to their lessons. He would work on everything else as it came up.

With a new determination, he set his mind on keeping it together, and made his way back to the dungeon.

Athelina had fallen back asleep while she was reading. The sound of the door startled her awake. She shot up when she saw him walking in, a stern look on his face. She chose to ignore him, because she just couldn't predict his behavior lately. She twirled her wand around as she read, pretending she hadn't even noticed him.

"If you aren't…busy Mis Kinsey, we need to have a little chat." The formal tone, what was that about?

"What?" It probably wasn't the polite response, but since when did he start addressing her by her last name?

_Whatever he wants to talk about, it can't be good. _She followed the thought with a groan. He noticed and raised an eyebrow at her.

"I said, there is something we need to talk about." She heard him the first time, and he knew it.

"I heard you the first time. What do you want to talk about all of a sudden?" If she was being openly rude now, he certainly deserved it. He had done nothing but ignore her for ages and all of a sudden he wanted to talk.

"Right, well…" he wasn't expecting her to be so nasty. This wasn't going his way at all, "I had just want to, uhm." This is why he never apologized. It was too much work.

"Yes?" Now she was interested.

"I wanted…to apologize!" He spit it out as if the words burnt his tounge. He wasn't doing a very good job of keeping himself together and regaining his control. "To apologize for not giving you as much attention as I should have lately. I'm a very busy man, and I've had a lot on my mind. Hopefully we can get back on track with your learning." He felt better about that. He retained the emotionless expression he was so used to having.

"I see. Well, I suppose that will be fine. I accept your apology." With that she lifted her book back up. She wasn't reading it, but she needed a way to hide her emotions. This wasn't what she had expected when he came storming in. What could have possibly been on his mind to make him act that way? Or was it just an excuse? Either way, this was the progress she had been waiting for, seemingly out of nowhere.

Snape was shocked by her sudden dismissal, but he really had nothing else to say.

"Alright, well since you are busy I suppose we can resume our lessons after lunch." He headed out to his desk to get some marking done.

* * *

><p>"Alright, get ready to head to the classroom. We have some defensive magic to practice." He came in just as she pushed her lunch plate away. She hadn't been in his classroom in forever. She hadn't even left the dungeons. She changed quickly before he had time to change his mind.<p>

Students were bustling through the halls, books plastered to their faces. Classes were obviously getting busy since she'd been out last. Snape could feel the familiar swivel as she was constantly looking around. He had difficulty admitting it to himself, but he'd missed that.

When they arrived at the classroom, he started setting up as if they were going to have some kind of cage match. There were pillows all over, walls to hide behind, and practice dummies wearing robes. She laughed quietly, because he seemed to be taking the set up very seriously.

He gave her a look. It was the look telling her to shut up. For some reason this just made her laugh even more. Laughing felt really good.

"If something about being able to defend yourself in the face of certain death is amusing, Miss Kinsey, please explain it to me. Merlin knows I could use a joke." She simply rolled her eyes at him. He never knew how to lighten up.

"Alright, today I am going to start teaching you some advanced defensive magic. This isn't what I teach in my regular classes, it is far too advanced. However, you have skills those idiots don't, and we can be certain Death Eaters have the same skills. " He was in full on lecture mode now. She was pleased that he admitted she was skilled, so she jumped into the lesson without any more attitude.

She struggled with some of his directions for the first few days. He had her jumping behind obstacles and trying to avoid the dummies with her spells. He said any battle would have people on your side you don't want to hit. Her knowledge and skill didn't translate well into jumping around avoiding hexes.

She went back every night exhausted and usually sporting some after effects of a mild hex. At least things were seemingly back to normal. He was trying hard to make it seem like nothing had ever happened.

* * *

><p>It was slowly getting warmer outside, and Snape could tell purely because of the lack of focus in his classroom. He'd given numerous detentions for staring out the window through the cracks in the curtain. It was something Athelina had a problem with.<p>

"You don't need to punish them so harshly. Any sane person wants to be outside when the weather is nice!" She had the same glossy look in her eyes thinking about the sunshine.

Snape was going to reprimand her, but he realized she hadn't actually been outside in ages. He realized that if he wanted to start gaining her trust, he needed to start doing things that would make her happy.

"You're right. Perhaps later we can go take a walk." He said it so matter-of-factly she almost fell off the desk she was sitting on.

He decided to walk to Hogsmeade and apparate them to a small meadow where he often travelled when collecting potion ingredients. That way he had an excuse if anyone happened upon them. He also had a few ingredients he needed to replenish, so it gave him something to do while she enjoyed the sun.

He could see it in her eyes as soon as she returned to human form. The light erased all the cares from her features. She shone with a vibrancy Snape had never seen before, and he was mesmerized by it.

When she finally was tired of exploring the meadow she came and sat down beside him.

"Professor Snape, how did you first become a spy? It must have been a difficult decision to make." He didn't know what suddenly made her want to ask about his life. At first he didn't want to answer, but he remembered his promise to Dumbledore about telling her everything. She assumed he was on the good side before pretending to be on the bad, and that needed to be cleared up for her to truly trust him.

"Well, that is a question that requires quite a long story." The words were sticking in his throat. "Some of it I will save for another day, but I can give you the basic version I suppose." He prepared himself for inevitable rejection. Maybe her current good mood would work in his favor.

She looked at him eagerly.

"You see back when I was a young man, I had very few people that I was close to. I was very angry and misunderstood I suppose. I made a few bad choices and got involved with the wrong people during my school years. When I graduated from Hogwarts, I joined the Death Eaters." He paused for a moment, noticing the shocked look on her face.

"It was a mistake, and I regret everything I did. I…realized my errors and turned to Dumbledore for forgiveness. He had me stay with Voldemort, pretending to spy on the Order when I was actually spying for them. It's all very complicated really." He turned his eyes away, waiting for her to say something. Or maybe he was waiting for her to run. He didn't know what to expect.

"Well, I suppose that makes sense." He finally turned to look at her. She was frowning, but it was a frown indicating deep thought.

"Does it?" He was curious now.

"Yes, well, it explains why Dumbledore chose you for this. It also explains why Voldemort trusts you so much. If you had decided to sign up out of the blue, I'm sure he would question it." She was definitely clever. She understood Dumbledore's rationality with barely any information.

"So you aren't afraid? I essentially just admitted to doing the horrible things your father ordered by choice." He didn't want to push it much further when she was being so accepting, but he really didn't understand her reaction.

"I don't think I'm afraid. I mean, we both have pasts that are tied to Voldemort. You were able to take your less than ideal past, and put it to good use. I only hope I'll be able to do the same." She smiled at him.

Maybe he had a chance after all.


	14. Chapter 14

Things continued in a similar fashion as the month wore on. She started asking him more questions about his life. Why did he start teaching potions? What about the Dark Arts had interested him so much?

He would have minded all the prying if it was anyone else, but there was something about the way her dark hair shone in the sunlight...

He was slipping into a realm he knew nothing about, and he needed to get back on his feet. Their friendship and openness was making his life much easier, but he still had a reputation to uphold. This was difficult when all he could think about was the way her eyes lit up when he opened up a little more. It was like she had been waiting for this all along.

* * *

><p>She had been waiting for this all along. She couldn't really understand why, but it had been all she could think about most days when she was mind numbingly bored. Perhaps it was her lack of communication with anyone else. Everyone needed someone to confide in, didn't they?<p>

She was glad they could be friends after all the tension between them, and she could finally relax.

_My face hurts I've been smiling so much. _She sat thinking one evening after they returned from the meadow. She hadn't understood what contentment felt like until that moment, but suddenly she felt like she had a real home. Sure, she had to stay hidden, but her entire life was like that. At least there was a bit of stability now. This was a taste of what friendship felt like. She never thought she would have been able to pull down her shield and trust a man the way she trusted Snape, and there were millions of people out there she could potentially be this close to.

She finally realized how much she was missing out on. If they could just find a way to defeat Voldemort, all these doors would open for her.

She sighed. It always came down to her father. Never mind murdering countless innocent people she had never met, and robbing her of her entire family. He was the one obstacle in the way of her future happiness. Her newfound content opened her eyes, and morphed into anger.

Her drive to see him defeated was refueled; she craved vengeance for everything he took from her the moment she was born. The only real question was how?

Despite the increased attention Snape was giving her, she still spent a good part of the day studying alone. She poured over her books until she knew every last bit of magic contained in them.

One such day, she had a brilliant idea. It was unlikely she would ever willingly be allowed to fight in the inevitable battles, but if an opportunity presented itself she needed a plan. Severus was teaching her skills in defensive magic, so she could protect herself incase of danger.

What if she wanted to do more than that?

Maybe she needed to cause harm more than she needed to stop it. It was a dark thought, but she wanted to avenge her family. She didn't want to protect herself; she needed to make them suffer.

* * *

><p>Snape knew she was reading some of his books while he was out. She probably thought she was being careful over the past few weeks, but he was far more observant than she expected.<p>

He had a vague guess at her motives, and he really wasn't surprised. A young woman, likely jaded, out for revenge. He knew better than to think she would sit idly by like a good girl, while everyone else got in on the action. He had been teaching her the same defences the regular students learned, but that would never be was cleverer, more mature, and far more focused than his regular students.

He never would have pushed her to learn dark magic, but he admitted she could make use of it more than he could. She was choosing this path for different reasons than he had anyways. He would leave her to it, but he made a mental note to inform Dumbledore of her new side project.

* * *

><p>Snape made his way down the corridor to Dumbledore's office. It had been a few days since he'd gone to see the Headmaster. He couldn't recall what happened during that meeting. He was never much for daydreaming, and his focus was one of his best qualities, but for some reason all he could remember was thinking about Athelina. He was about her newfound interest in the Dark Arts, worrying about her feelings for him, and contemplating his next move.<p>

Something important had been said at that meeting, and for the life of him he couldn't remember what it was he should have remembered or done. He would be reminded soon enough, he was sure.

The halls were eerily silent as he approached the stairway entrance, muttering the password to the gargoyle. He knocked on the door. No one answered.

He knocked again. Still nothing.

"Alohamora". The door swung open as the lock clicked.

The room was empty, but a note was sitting on the desk. He picked it up and started reading.

_Severus,_

_ I've just left with Mr. Potter to go to the cave. Hopefully you are prepared for what is going to happen this evening, and have been keeping an eye on Draco. I also trust you have prepared the girl to leave as soon as it is over. The school may not be a safe place for her anymore. _

_ Albus_

The letter dropped to the floor as Severus Snape ran to the dungeons as fast as his feet could carry him.

* * *

><p>Athelina was making serious progress on her new spells. She'd learnt at least 20 she was sure could do serious damage if necessary. She'd just put her books away when Snape came running into the room.<p>

"Pack everything up as quickly as possible. We need to be ready to leave, and I don't know how much time we have." He was grabbing objects and stuffing them in trunks like a whirlwind. She didn't question his urgency, but began packing her few important belongings.

Snape guessed her question anyways.

"I don't have enough time to explain, but something important is happening. It needs a lot of information for you to properly understand, and I'm very sorry I avoided telling you. I meant to explain it and my mind was otherwise occupied." He moved his trunks to the fireplace he'd reconnected to the floo, and stopped to look at her. "I'll run these home now, and be right back. I think you'll be safer if you stay at the school."

She sat on the bed, wondering what horrible situation she was suddenly stuck in the middle of. Just when she was getting into their routine, and enjoying spending time with him, things had to get worse. She longed for a day where a boring life could be a promise.

* * *

><p>Snape added extra wards to his home before he returned to the school. He needed time; time to plan what to tell Athelina, time to mentally prepare himself for what was coming. He heard a commotion elsewhere in the castle that brought him back to the present.<p>

"Get ready to transform. I'm going to need you to stay in my sleeve no matter what! If something happens, or things get dangerous, I need you to jump out and get away as fast as you can. Make for the school gates and wait for me there. If I don't arrive by nightfall, head back to the castle and floo back to the house. The wards know to admit you." He kept his face void of emotion, but it was taking all of his skill. Apparently she was doing the same.

"Now, change now. We have little time."

With a snake in his sleeve, a very distressed Severus Snape headed through the castle, directly towards a panic stricken Harry Potter.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N Yay finally an update! This chapter took me forever, but things are getting closer to the end now so there will be a bit more action**

They were in some kind of tower. Snape hadn't taken her here before, but she had a vague idea where she was in relation to the rest of the castle. She could hear voices coming from above them. Snape shoved the Potter boy into the shadows. She didn't see where he went after that, but he was suddenly gone.

He walked up the stairs towards the voices. Draco Malfoy was standing across from Professor Dumbledore, his wand pointed at his chest. She knew he was a horrible brat, but this was completely unexpected. There were other people standing around Draco that she had never seen before. They were obviously Death Eaters. If the cloaks didn't give it away, the jeering certainly did. She was suddenly filled with so much hatred she lost all focus.

The events that followed seemed to last forever, and yet somehow went by too quickly for her to do anything about.

Severus was speaking, there was more jeering. Suddenly a flash of green light, the image of a body falling to the ground. Screams. They were running.

She had no idea how they got out of the castle so fast, but there were spells flying from all sides. Severus stopped to fight, and she hit the ground before she realized he threw her. She wanted to stay with him, but the spells were hitting the grass all around her and she needed to move quickly. Self-preservation kicked in at the right time. She headed towards the gates as carefully as she could.

Once she was safely outside the school grounds and hidden in the shadows, she transformed back. Sitting against a tree, the images from the past ten minutes came back to her and she was able to piece the events together.

For the first time in years she cried. Her barrier defeated, all the sorrow she locked away her entire life came out at once.

* * *

><p>Snape had thrown her when the spells started flying. He was hoping to run fast enough to get her away from the fighting, but he was an obvious target. All he could do was hope she had enough sense to do what he told her and get out of there fast. He wasn't going to stay and fight. He needed to get her to safety. Besides, he really was still on the Order's side, and didn't want to hurt any of his friends.<p>

No one would understand. It was all over for him. He had no real protection now, and as much as he wanted to curse the Death Eaters to oblivion, it wasn't in Athelina's best interest to display his true allegiance. She was still his biggest priority. He owed Albus that much.

He was gone. There was so much he had to do now, but he could only think of one thing: how was she going to react? After all his progress, she would certainly hate him. He should have explained the entire plan to her when he had the chance.

His only real hope was that he knew she had nowhere else to go, and it wasn't exactly comforting.

As he reached the gate, he saw her figure hunched under a tree. Even in the dark he could tell she was sobbing silently.

He stood a few steps away and cleared his throat, hoping he wouldn't startle her. She looked up at him, red eyes filled with tears. She was tragically beautiful, and in spite of everything that happened he couldn't help but smile a little. He wished there was a way he could save her from all the pain, or take her where it wouldn't reach them.

She finally broke down, despite her fear, and ran into his arms. Snape took that as his cue to apparate them back home.

* * *

><p>When they hit the ground, she refused to let go of him. Her mind was trying to tell her she should be running away, but her heart wouldn't let her. He said there was an explanation he wanted to tell her beforehand, didn't he?<p>

_You trusted him, and he repays you by killing the man who saved both of you? _She had trouble believing that even as she thought it.

_No, he isn't like that. I know he isn't. Something else is going on. _The logical part of her brain was coming back. He was just as afraid, just as confused.

She looked up at his face, and saw comfort in his eyes. They had been softening towards her lately, but this was something completely different. Any doubts about his character melted away.

He certainly had some explaining to do, but she wasn't running.

* * *

><p>She wasn't running. She just stayed in his arms, sobbing silently, long after they'd arrived. He knew she still doubted him, but it was comforting to be the one protecting her. He had been all along, but this felt different.<p>

They sat in the hallways for hours before he finally got the courage to speak. He still had explaining to do.

"He was dying. Cursed. He asked me to be the one to do it, and I said no. I wish I didn't have to, but he didn't want it to be the boy. He had other reasons for it I'm sure, and I don't doubt his choices. I should have told you, and I had promised I would. It would have made it easier, but I just wasn't ready. I just can't…" His voice faded. He tried to hold back the tears, but he couldn't.

He got up to leave so she wouldn't have to see him cry.

"Wait! Don't go.' Her voice followed him down the hall.

'I didn't run… my head told me to run and I stayed, so you need to stay too. " She barely whispered the words, but he heard them loud and clear. He wished she had more to say, but for now it was enough. She was going to be there. Maybe he was the one who needed saving after all. If he wasn't mistaken, Dumbledore's plans seemed a bit more in depth than Snape had given him credit for.

He made his way back and sat beside her on the floor, resting against the wall. He closed his eyes to keep the tears back, but he felt her head rest against his shoulder, tears soaking through his now tattered cloak.

It was mid-day when he woke up and noticed she was still sleeping with her head on his shoulder. He wanted to stay like that forever, but he had a lot of work to do. To some, he was the loyal follower who just defeated the greatest wizard alive, and that brought new responsibilities. He was going to have to meet with Voldemort and the other Death Eaters at some point during the day. He ought search them out before they came looking for him. He didn't want Athelina anywhere near them.

Just as he was thinking about the best way to move without waking her up, she stirred.

"Oh good you're awake. I need to leave and settle a few…business matters." He frowned. "It would probably be best if you stayed out of sight. I've doubled my wards but you still never know who is lurking about." He was trying to put his formal countenance back on in preparation, but he couldn't hide the worry.

"Would I be able to transform and get outside for a while? I think the fresh air would help clear my head." She couldn't stand being here by herself, and being a snake always made emotions easier to deal with.

He could tell she didn't want him to leave her here, but he wouldn't leave unless he absolutely had to. His jaw clenched. Letting her out of the house was a bad idea, especially if there was an emergency and he couldn't find her. However, leaving her trapped in the house was just as bad.

"Fine but be careful! I don't know who could be prowling about now, good or bad. As unfortunate as it is, everyone is our enemy now." He knew this was coming, but the fact that he had no allies sunk in. If something went wrong in the plan there would be no chance.

But he still had her.


	16. Chapter 16

He arrived on the doorstep of Malfoy Manor with his stern expression back in place. He made some effort to seem like his usual self, but it wasn't difficult when he was genuinely unhappy to be there. He was just about to reach for the brass knocker when the door was yanked open.

A very frantic looking house elf ushered him in, past a sickly Narcissa Malfoy. He nodded to be polite but she simply stared at him with an empty expression.

_Poor woman. Her husband in jail, and her only child failing a mission to murder his own professor… she should receive an award when this is all over. If it's ever over…_

The gathered Death Eaters backed out of his way as he walked into the meeting area. A young Snape would have been giddy for this level of respect, but now it just made him increasingly ill.

"Ah Severus, the man of the hour! I was about to send for you and suddenly you appear!" Voldemort was sitting near the fire, as always. His revolting snake was curled up next to his feet. Snape had become rather fond of snakes lately, but Nagini was of a different sort. There was something unnerving about the giant serpent, and he couldn't quite place it.

"My lord, I suppose we have a lot of work to do now that our little problem is out of the way." He wanted to find out the plans and get out of here. He still didn't trust that spies weren't patrolling his residence. What he really needed to do was leave for a while.

"Yes yes, all in good time my friend! We were just about to have a feast celebrating our victory. We can discuss upcoming plans once we are seated." He stood up and led them into the dining room where the house elves had already laid the feast out. Snape took up a seat of honor beside Voldemort, barely picking at the food.

"Well Severus, as I've told you before, we are going to need you at Hogwarts once the school year begins. Educating young wizarding minds has always been a high priority of mine, and I need someone I can trust taking charge." He smiled slightly, if it could even be called a smile. "Obviously you will need to keep an eye on the rest of the staff, and keep a few choice students in line. I will appoint a few other loyal followers to offer assistance."

This was actually good news, other than the assistance part. He needed a safe place to keep an eye on things while keeping the girl close. Being at Hogwarts was what Dumbledore had intended for him all along. He needed to make sure he didn't seem too pleased, although he did deserve it after what he had seemingly accomplished for Voldemort's cause.

"It would be an honor to serve as Headmaster under your guidance. I suppose we will be working on getting a spy in the ministry to make these changes quickly?" The spy was likely already set up. Snape knew how quickly they operated.

"Oh you won't need to worry about that. I have people placed in every necessary level of government. Plans are falling together seamlessly." The unpleasant smile was back, and Snape felt sorry for the poor fools working in the Ministry.

There seemed to be no pressing matters he was needed for, which made Snape wonder how he was going to pass the summer away from prying eyes. He always counted on the mindless tasks from either side to keep him busy. This almost felt like a real vacation.

Then an idea hit him.

"Since we are making such fine progress, would I be permitted to take a few weeks to see to some legal matters overseas? I have a bit of personal business that I have been neglecting lately, investments in potion companies and such." It wasn't exactly a lie. He did do business with many foreign potion masters, and he had a few bank accounts designated solely to dealing with them. Voldemort knew some of this. He also knew Snape went away occasionally to see to these matters. It would make sense for him to take a bit of time off for his own interests before things got hectic again.

"Normally I would not allow for frivolous activities in a time such as this, but you have recently done me a great service. I know how to contact you if I need you, but I don't believe I will until our plans for the school year are firmly in place." Voldemort trusted him far too much, it seemed. Perhaps this was an indication of how well Snape did his job. A month off would do him wonders, and he could use the opportunity to further Athelina's education in an environment that wasn't so threatening.

"Again, thank you. I will make sure to consider some of our plans for the next year while I am away. I plan to leave relatively soon, since I'm sure the Order will be after me in a matter of minutes. They are probably already working on my wards." This last part wasn't an exaggeration of any kind. He could only imagine what he would find when he returned home.

He finally managed to excuse himself from the celebrations early, walking a ways down the path before he chose to apparate. He wanted to get out of there, but when he was finally alone he was afraid to face whatever was waiting for him. The entire ordeal left a bad taste in his mouth, despite things working out rather nicely.

* * *

><p>He arrived in his study, since there were no windows to potentially see him through. He listened for movement outside the door, but he heard none. After a quick sweep of the house he determined everything was still in order.<p>

Well, almost everything. Athelina wasn't back yet. It had been a few hours since he had left her; perhaps she stayed hidden incase someone else showed up. He scanned the house again, casting spells that would detect her presence.

Nothing.

He unpacked all his belongings, and then remembered he would be leaving again shortly. He proceeded to pack what he thought they might need to take along, keeping himself busy so he wouldn't worry. If it weren't such a risk for both of them, he would go out and look for her.

He sat down in his study and pulled out the firewhisky. If he was going to wait helplessly then he may as well calm his nerves.

The floor creaked half an hour later. Anyone else wouldn't have made it through the wards.

"Where have you been? I got back over an hour ago and…" He rounded the corner and found her sitting against the wall, looking rather disheveled. The lecture he planned slowly evaporated and was replaced by fear.

"Who was it?" He grabbed her arm and noticed how cold she felt. He wanted to walk her to the sofa but she couldn't even stand properly, so he picked her up and carried her into the study by the fire. He performed a few basic healing charms, but it seemed she was simply startled.

"Can you tell me what it was you saw?" He was speaking softly, worried that his previous yelling had only made it worse.

After a few minutes to catch her breath she finally came around.

"I'd just gotten outside, and everything seemed fine. I did a few small circles around the house when I heard the noises. I looked up and hundreds of owls were flying overhead. I managed to get far enough away when I noticed people scanning the perimeter. They obviously couldn't get through the wards. I'm assuming the owls were all trying to deliver mail of some sort, and they couldn't get through either. Between trying not to end up trampled or dinner, it took me some time to make my way back to the door without being spotted." Her babbling was a clear sign she was seriously afraid. If she spoke fast enough, he wouldn't be able to hear her voice shake. Interesting how well he understood her habits.

He suspected his house was being watched, so this really wasn't a surprise. It could have been much worse. However, she was very lucky she made it back unharmed.

"Did you happen to see who the wizards were? I know it would have been difficult to tell and it must have been very stressful but it would be helpful to know." It would be worse if Death Eaters were following him. It could mean Voldemort suspected he was up to something.

"I didn't recognize any of them, but they weren't dressed well enough to be Death Eaters." This put him at ease. The Order would be easy to distract long enough to make an escape.

"Good, good. This is working out better than expected. You are sure no one saw you? Not that it matters, how would they know who you are?" He was pacing the room with the confidence that came from a well-formed plan, "They wont be able to get in, but we don't want to give them a chance. I refuse to be a prisoner in my own home. I have managed to secure us a few weeks away from the UK. Hopefully we can use this time to your scholastic advantage. I have a few places of magical significance in mind, but it's relatively flexible. The less predictable we are, the more difficult it is for anyone to follow." He could see her eyes brighten instantly. The shadow of yesterday's events was still there, but there had been a momentary break in the clouds. This would be good for both of them.

"When do we leave?" She stood up anticipating his answer.

He couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm, "I was thinking about now."

* * *

><p>They grabbed two small travel bags that were charmed to hold everything they would need for a month of travel. He concealed the rest of her belongings, and made it seem like he abandoned the house in a hurry. They threw on travelling cloaks and disappeared.<p>

She had no idea where they were going to end up. Obviously England wasn't safe at the moment, but she didn't know what things were like in other wizarding communities. She hadn't learnt much about foreign wizards, so she didn't even know what to expect. Was everyone being tormented by her father's evil?

They were on a beach somewhere, the sun shining on a very blue ocean. The breeze was warm and refreshing.

"Welcome to Greece, the birthplace of scholarly thought." He said as he turned towards the shoreline. She couldn't help but laugh at how out of place he looked. They would need some muggle clothing if they were going to blend in. Cooler muggle clothing; she was already sweltering in the heat.

If Athelina thought this was going to be a relaxing vacation she was sorely mistaken. They hardly stopped moving during the day. Thankfully she was the type who absorbed information like oxygen. There was history, politics, new spells, runes and languages every area they visited.

She absolutely loved Greece. You could walk down the street and see modern buildings right next to collapsing ruins. Everything was immersed in the past, like jumping straight into a book.

She was surprised how much Severus actually knew about their magical history. His surly demeanor never would have suggested he was so interested in other cultures.

They had been staying in a villa near the shore, quite a distance from any major cities. Each morning they would apparate after walking to secluded areas, always wearing muggle clothing. She had no idea how he managed to pay for the villa, and all he would say was that he called in a few favors. Whether they were magical or muggle she never found out.

In the week they had been in Greece, she had certainly noticed a change in his demeanor. He wasn't scowling and skulking around the way he normally did. He seemed confident, and even his overly pale skin was looking healthier.

It made her wish they could stay here forever. How much easier would things be if there were no war to go back to, no dark wizards to hide from or try to defeat?

Once again she started to think about how nice it would be to have freedom from their ties in England, to be away from missions and revenge. There was so much about the magical world he could teach her, if only they had the time.

"So despite Ancient Greek wizards not controlling their magical creatures the way we do today, no one actually believes that the accounts in myth are actually fact. This is just another example of how the rich mythology of muggles is beneficiary." She tuned back in to his lecture, hoping she hadn't missed something important. It was late in the day, and they were planning to leave in the morning. She just wanted to spend some time enjoying the scenery. Who knew where they would even end up next.

Severus wanted to throw potential trackers off their trail. Hopefully there wasn't anything significant in wizarding Siberia.

As if he read her thoughts, he ended his lesson there. They continued walking around the heart of Athens, just talking and enjoying the beautiful evening. When the sun was about to set they headed back towards the place they apparated from.

Both of them were silent. She was letting the week sink in, trying to prepare herself for whatever came next.

Was he doing the same, or was he just allowing the peacefulness for her sake? She glanced in his direction casually, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

He seemed lost in his own thoughts, and almost sad. The wind blew his hair gently, and suddenly he seemed far away. It was as if he was a character in a novel, dark and complicated, the kind with a tragic secret, but a good heart.

Then the vision was gone, and she understood Severus Snape in a way she never had before.

He was that man, living out the novel every day, and the only person still alive who had actually read it was her.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N - This is a really long one! Couldn't help myself, had to throw in a bit of my own country. I always wondered what being a wizard would be like in Canada**

They touched down in a forest clearing, a thick coniferous forest. It had been a very long time since Snape was in Canada but it seemed there were still plenty of trees. He wasn't exactly sure where they had ended up, since he only vaguely recalled this area to begin with.

What he needed was a map, or at least a landmark that could set him in the proper direction. He pulled out his wand and started pacing around, muttering spells that would help him figure out the location.

Athelina was standing exactly where she had landed, probably wondering whether he'd gone mad.

"So where are we exactly?" She asked after several minutes of watching him wander about.

"In a forest. I believe it's rather obvious." He knew what she meant, but he was becoming increasingly annoyed with the situation. He expected to end up somewhere he recalled being, so he could find the place he expected to stay.

"Thank you, I hadn't noticed that. You know what I mean." She was getting angry with him now. He didn't want to upset her, but she was not helping. He came back and stood beside her, temporarily giving up.

"We are in Canada…somewhere. I was hoping to know the exact location upon arrival but that apparently isn't the case." He started ruffling through his bag, looking for parchment. He finally pulled some out and sat down in the grass, tapping it with his wand and muttering. Athelina sat down and started changing the colours of the flowers in an attempt to keep herself entertained.

"Ha! That's it, how could I forget? Locus Illustrati!" He tapped his wand on the parchment and black ink started spreading from the tip in thin lines. Shapes started to form, until the entire parchment was filled with a perfect map of the surrounding area.

"Excellent. We aren't exactly where I wanted to end up, but it wont be difficult for us to get there from here." He smiled and tucked the map in his robes.

"So why, besides it being the last place anyone would look, did you decide to come to Canada?" It almost sounded like she didn't want to be in Canada, but he knew well enough to assume she was genuinely curious.

"Well, we visited the country with one of the oldest and richest magical histories. In contrast, I decided we should visit a country where wizarding society is still establishing its roots. It is all very modern, and magic is taking a giant leap forward in terms of development. I haven't been here in several years, and I'm sure things have since changed dramatically." If he was being honest with himself, the other reason for visiting had to do with the lack of people in some of the most beautiful magical tourist areas. He was hoping to take her out and get away from the crowds, the noise and the prying eyes. Maybe he could find some time for them to spend just relaxing and not worrying about lessons or staying hidden. There were multiple opportunities to kindle a potential romance…

But what was he thinking, honestly? It was all just fantasy, and he had no time for any of it. He didn't even know who he was turning into, but he needed to control himself.

"Alright, there is a large magical community concealed near Niagara-on-the-Lake. When I was here last it was a very beautiful area, so hopefully that has not changed very much. Now that I have determined where we are, I can try to apparate us closer to our destination. First we had better change into more appropriate muggle clothing. It is still summer here, but it isn't as hot." He transformed their clothing into typical muggle tourist wear, t-shirts and shorts. After checking his map one more time, he tucked it into the bag and grabbed her hand.

They reappeared in a back alley, behind a row of buildings. He pulled the map out again and tapped it with his wand. The image changed to show a close up of the city they were in, with their location marked.

"Interesting, this was an open field the last I remembered…" It was all a part of the same city, but it seemed to have expanded over time into the surrounding countryside.

"Well, we had better start walking then. It's about an hour to the entrance to Wizarding Niagara." He took a look down the street they were on, and started walking. She ran to catch up.

"So, is this the main settlement of wizards in Canada, the same way London is in England?" She asked when she finally caught up to him.

"Well, it is one of the oldest. There are a few fair sized communities spread across the country, with many smaller ones in between as needed. Residentially it is similar to how things are set up in England, but over a much larger area." He was speaking quietly, since they were still in a public muggle area. He wanted to answer her questions, but he wished she would wait until they were somewhere more private.

"So they have a Ministry here similar to ours?" She was going to keep asking questions unless he explained it fully, so he gave in.

"No, they don't have a similar ministry. To understand the politics you really need to know about the history. The magic population in Canada is very small. When the British and French settlers colonized here, few wizards came along with them. There was no serious effort to set up a magical colony, but a number of those who came over had magical genes, even if they weren't wizards. The few wizards who did come had to start keeping track of children born with magical potential.

'At first there were small centers opened on the East Coast, but as people continued to move west, new areas were set up to accommodate them. There were no formal schools, since it was too difficult to transport so few children across the entire country. By the time of Confederation, there was enough of an underground wizarding network to start setting up complete magical communities. Since this was a mostly central and highly populated area, the first was created here. Most wizards from Ontario come here to work and do business. There is a national governing body for Canadian wizards, but it is not as established, and most provinces have their own small offices within the magical communities that run the day to day business. Many wizards are also active within muggle society, since most of the old world prejudices were left behind. It really is one of the most advancing wizarding cultures." He had always been interested in the forwardness the Canadian wizards exhibited. This was why he kept connections here, gaining knowledge in new potion techniques and spell development. The problem with wizards in Europe was their obsessive ties to the past. It kept them from learning and growing along with the rest of the world.

"Does their school have different classes from Hogwarts then? I know there is variation among them all." People were looking at them strangely as the walked. Possibly because they were a strange pair, but it may have been that they were catching words like "Hogwarts" and "muggle".

"Well actually, the schooling system is a bit different also. I told you there are very few wizards, and the country is too vast to send children to one central location. Most wizard children go to muggle schools, while learning magic via home exercises. There are usually some part time schools or summer academies that the students can attend, or visit to take tests." He didn't know all the details, but it was enough to satisfy her curiosity he was sure.

"Really? That is very interesting. I suppose they place a lot of value on muggle education since they are still connected with the muggle world." She picked up on things so easily.

"Yes I suppose. They also have a few wizarding post-secondary institutions. Once students have a general magical knowledge, they can choose a specific area to study and become an expert in. Generally, only wizards who want to have careers focused only on magic will do this. Of course, wizards in Europe think Canadian wizards know less about magic, but they actually work very hard and develop easier methods for magical education. For the most part they are all very skilled, on par with us." He could tell she was fascinated. He didn't blame her at all.

* * *

><p>They walked for nearly an hour, until they arrive in the muggle city of Niagara-on-the-Lake. It seemed very beautiful, very quaint for a muggle city. She almost felt like they were in an English village.<p>

There was a small garden planted along a street, with large shrubs and tall flowers. Severus started heading towards it, until they were barely visible amongst the plants. He was looking around a bit, as if trying to remember something he had forgotten long ago. He examined every flower carefully. She felt a bit useless because she didn't even know what he was looking for. Then she saw him grab a small white flower. It was very plain amidst the other exotic blooms, but he seemed pleased. He picked it, and suddenly a tunnel opened up in the ground. An identical flower sprang up in its place, ready for the next visitor to find it.

They walked into the tunnel. It was cold, and lit by small candles placed along the floor. The ground sloped down for a time, but just as Athelina felt they would be going down forever, it started to incline. At the end of the tunnel, they reached a small wooden door. Flowers were carved in it like vines along the sides, but she couldn't see any handle.

"I'll let you open it then. You're due for a practical test." He turned and looked at her. She stood dumb for a minute, having no idea what he wanted her to do.

"Oh!" She pulled her wand out and pointed it at the door, "Alohomora".

She felt a bit stupid. Sometimes she completely forgot she could do magic. The door swung open.

They stepped out into the sunlight, in a bright village square. A small brick building stood directly in front of them. A large sign beside the door read:

WELCOME! Information and Regulations Office

There were other buildings, similar in style, all around the village square. It was quite lovely, in a quaint small-town way. She wanted to wander around, find somewhere for a cup of tea, but at the moment she was being ushered towards this information building.

She was expecting something extravagant, similar to what she had read about the Ministry of Magic in London. Instead, she got a small office building. There was a hall with maybe 10 offices, from what she could tell. A wall to her right was covered in tourist and information pamphlets. Some read "How to Rid Your Lawn of Gnomes Without Alarming Neighbors" and "Your Child Deserves the Best in Wizard Education". Others advertised vacation destinations, like "Places to see in Magical Ontario" and "Always Blend In While Travelling". A woman was sitting at the front desk. She looked about 40, but she was very pretty: blonde hair in a bun, glasses, and a black business suit on.

"Welcome to the Magical Village of Niagara. If you are here on magical business find the appropriate office down the hall. If you are visiting from out of town fill out a…." she finally looked up, "Severus! How good to see you, it's been years". Apparently they knew each other. She seemed to brighten up quite a bit when she noticed who he was. She came around the desk, and Athelina was temporarily distracted by the height of the woman's shoes. She felt significantly underdressed.

"You've hardly aged a day. Is this your…daughter?" She finally noticed Athelina standing beside him. Snape frowned slightly when she said that, for a fraction of a second.

"No, actually she is a student of mine. We are on a bit of a field trip. Athelina this is Kate." The knot forming in her stomach clenched at the very impersonal introduction. This entire encounter was rather awkward. Her only comfort was how quickly Kate's smile disappeared after the introduction.

"Oh a student, how nice. Still teaching then?" Her tone suggested she didn't find it nice at all.

"Yes, still teaching. Apparently educating the young is my forte. Actually, I was recently named Headmaster." He smirked.

_WHAT!_ He hadn't told her that important little bit of information. She didn't want to make a scene in front of this slightly annoying woman, but she gave him a look that said she wasn't exactly happy.

"I see you've moved up a bit. No longer simply the records taker, it seems you're head of the office now." He looked about the room. It didn't seem like the position was that honorable to Athelina, but what did she know?

"So what brings you in to the office today? I doubt by your outfits that you need help integrating with muggles." She went back to her desk and sat down.

"Actually, we were just looking for somewhere to stay. Doing a bit of touring around these parts. Somewhere quiet, preferably." His last comment seemed casual enough, but Kate looked at her. She smiled a bit, just to watch the other woman's eyebrows furrow.

They booked a cottage down by a small river, but decided to see some of the village before they went to find it. Apparently most official business was conducted from the little office. The other buildings were mostly shops, with a few restaurants and pubs. Few locals actually came here for daily activities, since they spent most of their time in the muggle world. A few tourists were wandering about the shops, looking at books about local plants, and pondering the strange spell books. She purchased one of the spell books. She knew quite a few incantations, but she had never heard of any that were in "Practical Spells for the Everyday Wizard".

* * *

><p>"I take you shopping, and the first thing you buy is a school book. Typical." She scowled at him, but he couldn't help laughing. Sure, this was still an educational trip, but he meant this stop to be more of a holiday for both of them. She made that more difficult than he anticipated.<p>

They went for lunch to one of the small pubs. There were two other people sitting at the bar, chatting to the bartender. The rest of the place was empty. Wouldn't be hard to have some privacy in here.

"So, Headmaster? When did you think it would be convenient to tell me that?" she snapped at him. He was taken aback. Yes, he tried to be open with her about his life, but she was still his student. As much as they were getting along, and no matter how much he wished their relationship was of a different kind, he still demanded some level of respect. Didn't he?

He had to admit, it was important information. He actually thought he'd told her already, but the point was that he could reveal what he wanted when he wanted.

"Hadn't I told you that? It must have slipped my mind." That was true, but it came out sounding a bit nasty. "Yes…You Know Who has made me Headmaster. You should be pleased to be free from lurking in the dungeons when we return." He reverted to the old stand by for Voldemort's name. Although he doubted the patrons of this bar cared about affairs in England, you never knew who was listening.

"Oh it slipped your mind, did it? Certainly didn't slip your mind when you had a lady to impress. Apparently your career changes are important to those on other continents, but not the person that needs to follow you wherever you go!" She was yelling now.

This was certainly getting interesting. He'd discovered the real reason for her little tantrum – jealousy. Despite her fit causing quite a scene, Snape was very pleased.

"How do you know her anyways?" She'd calmed down a bit, perhaps realizing she was a tad out of line. He found he didn't really care that he thought it wasn't her place a minute ago.

"I came here once, to study for a summer at the university. I had been in contact with a few Canadian wizards, and I was told their potion techniques were revolutionary. Much of my success in potions I owe to that summer. Anyways, I was from out of town, and wasn't exactly comfortable staying in muggle society. I lived in one of the hotels. Since practically no one spends excessive time here, I got to know the people who worked in the village rather well. They were all rather friendly, but I don't remember much other than their names and where they worked at the time. It was a difficult point in my life, so most of it was spent studying. Kate had been a bit of a pest at the time, always coming by to talk, asking if I wanted to go here and there in the muggle world. I mostly ignored her." Honestly, he hadn't actually thought about that summer, other than reflecting on everything he'd learnt.

He felt a bit bad now, realizing how he continually rejected the girl. He just wasn't interested. It seemed she still was.

How much easier would his life have been, had he fallen in love then? He could have stayed in Canada, far away from all his problems, in a society that was advancing at a pace fast enough to challenge him. Instead he got mixed up in this mess, and was in love with the daughter of the man he was trying to destroy.

They dropped their things off at the cottage before they continued their tour. She wanted to see some of the schools, but he insisted they stay away from educational stops for at least a day.

"Where are we going? Back to the muggle world?" She still didn't quite understand that there were no definitive worlds here.

"Yes, we are going to one of the biggest tourist destinations in Canada. I think you'll enjoy it." She looked confused, but he knew she was excited.

They could hear the water roaring far before they could see it. The usual crowds of people stood all along the edges, but they managed to find enough space to stand by a railing. He may have used a bit of magic to ensure they got a good view, but no one would ever know.

It was breathtaking. He had no idea how long they stood and looked; Niagara Falls was mesmerizing like that. He barely even noticed when she unknowingly grabbed his hand. He was only painfully aware it was gone, when she realized what she had done and let go.


	18. Chapter 18

She'd taught herself to have very good control of her emotions. She had rarely let them slip until recently. Everything had been turned upside down, and she hardly knew what she was feeling anymore.

Well, that wasn't exactly true. There was one feeling she had been trying to ignore for quite some time, and it was taking advantage this new lack of control. That was her only explanation for what happened at the Falls. She was overwhelmed by the beauty, and in the split second she lost it, her heart acted without her mind's permission.

This was bad. She let go as soon as she realized, but it was too late to make it seem accidental. She was sure he noticed. The only reaction she could see was his fist clenching a bit. Maybe that was a good sign.

She had unknowingly been pushing the limits of their relationship for a while now, so maybe it was time for her to try something drastic, and see how he handled it. He couldn't ignore her again, and she was so used to pain that rejection wouldn't be impossible for her to handle. It was only one more thing.

They wandered around the muggle tourist areas for the rest of the day. The attractions weren't anything she found particularly intriguing, but watching all the people proved very entertaining. Severus even loosened up more than she had seen, playing a few small pranks on the really loud and annoying ones. One man loudly pronounced he was perfectly capable of reading the map showing the street attractions. They followed him from a distance, changing the street names so he kept leading his friends in circles. It was probably cruel, and he warned her afterwards that in England that behavior was punishable, but it was still pretty funny.

* * *

><p>The village was very quiet that evening. If he didn't already know the reason, he would have said it was eerie. Really, it was because no one was there at night. It wouldn't be surprising if they were the only ones there. It seemed so safe and peaceful; he slept better than he had in months. He was so refreshed the next day, he felt ready for anything.<p>

"Can we PLEASE go see the university today? I like all the sightseeing, but I just can't keep myself from thinking about what a wizard university is like. Will there be actual students there right now? Can I actually meet some other wizards?" She was like an eager little child. He wanted to look for native magical wildlife, but he knew she wouldn't stop talking about the university until they went.

She seemed rather cheerful today. That annoyingly infectious smile kept ambushing him every time he looked at her. Things had been working out so nicely… something had to go wrong today.

The jealousy and the hand holding, they definitely meant something, but he knew better than to expect life to give him what he wanted so easily.

Somehow, this sense of doom was connected to the university visit. Something was going to happen there that would change the nice pace things were progressing in. His suddenly overactive imagination was saying she would meet some young wizard studying at the university, and realize he wasn't the only man in the world. She wouldn't need him if she decided to stay in Canada. No one here cared who her family was.

Why did he even decide to bring her here? He was actively ruining his own life. It must be his curse, to constantly destroy his every chance of happiness.

The university was a fairly modern brick building, a mile or two away from the actual village. It had a separate entrance that led back to the muggle world, because most students lived in muggle apartments. Most other wizard universities focused on only one subject, but Windville Institute of Magic offered programs for potions, advanced spell casting, and wizard relations.

It seemed pretty plain on the outside. There was a little plaque honoring the founders, and a large sign with the university name. The inside was much larger than the exterior let on. Each floor specified in a certain aspect of magical education. There was a registration and information desk and a small lounge surrounded by doors. Through every door was a large lecture hall.

They decided to visit the potions floor. Snape wanted to see if anything had changed since he studied there. Maybe a few of his old professors were still around. He kept in contact with a few of them, but lately it had faltered.

There were quite a few students bustling around the halls. Classes must have just finished up. It was a good time to see who was around, but it also meant more people for Athelina to interact with. She looked especially good today, and he gave every young man who noticed his disapproving gaze. He knew it was enough to send them away; it was what kept his reputation as the most terrifying teacher at Hogwarts.

He turned his back for a few minutes, trying to find familiar faces, when he heard what he feared most.

"I believe you are new here, I'd remember your face. What are you studying?" It was a young man, not much older than she was: tall, blonde, the stereotypical handsome scholar. He made his way back over to intervene, but he decided she wouldn't want that. As much as it hurt, he owed her a bit of social contact.

"Actually, I'm just visiting from England. The gentleman I am here with is an alumnus. I wanted to see the school, and he is hoping to catch up with his old professors." He turned back to look at her, and she smiled at him slightly. The younger man looked a bit put out.

"How unfortunate. Maybe I can change your mind about attending." He gave her what was likely his most dazzling, lady-winning smile.

"Haha not today. It is quite lovely here, but we had better be off to find our colleagues." The way she emphasized colleague gave the impression she thought herself above the boy. She was certainly picking up some of his habits. The young man looked rather offended.

"That was a bit rude of you. Your first potential friend, and you scare him away. Well done." He was teasing a bit, using the disapproving voice commonly reserved for students he disliked.

"He was a child anyways. Now then, where can we find these colleagues of yours?" She paid very little attention to the other students still trying to catch her eye. She grabbed his hand and made her way towards the farthest classrooms. He was so shocked she practically had to drag him. The boys they passed now scowled when they saw him.

They finally found someone he knew, cleaning up cauldrons he'd used for demonstrations. William Von Adler: Master of Potions, and an incredibly old man. Snape had always wondered whether he was actually a founding member of wizarding Canada. He was probably old enough.

"Well look what the kneazle dragged in. Severus Snape, returned at last from his grand adventures over the pond. Come to advance your knowledge a bit more my lad?" He was truly senile, but completely brilliant. The best there was in terms of modern potion making.

"I actually decided to come back just for a visit. I'm on a bit of a holiday, you see. It's been a long time coming. Things are actually quite bad in England right now, and it's always nice to see old friends." He wished he could stay and learn everything he could, but that would probably take until he was as old as William.

"Hmm yes, people have been saying that. Horrible revolts with dark magic, as bad as the times before. I tell you, it all breeds from hatred and misunderstanding. If you could learn to integrate as we do, you would find the magical lifestyle much more peaceful." Snape wondered how they received news from England, but there were likely still family ties in many parts of the country.

"Indeed, but how do you change centuries of prejudice? This seems to always be the problem." This was why he loved it here. They saw the flaws of the old ways, and built their society without them.

"Now then, who is this lovely young lady you brought with you? Are you planning on enrolling her also?" He wondered how long it would take for him to notice. He was about to give the same answer he used on Kate, but he was interrupted.

"Actually, I'm his girlfriend, Athelina Kinsey. Very pleased to meet you sir, I've heard only the highest praise." She held her hand out to shake William's. Snape tried hard not to fall down, or vomit, or shake her to make sure she wasn't some trick his mind was playing.

She turned and looked at him, probably afraid of his reaction. He still had no idea what to do. He should probably acknowledge it in some way, but he was worried that if he did it would all end up being a dream. Luckily, the old man was so bust chatting away that he had no clue his audience wasn't paying attention.

* * *

><p>Students were filing in for their next class, and they still hadn't moved. She needed to get out of there before the glaring eyes drove her mad. He seemed to snap out of it just as she was going to suggest they leave.<p>

"It was wonderful to see you again William. Perhaps I'll stop by again, but I see you have a class to teach." He shook his hand and left the room without a word to her. She was still unsure how he was reacting, so she followed a few steps behind him. They walked out of the building and kept going in the direction opposite the village.

He finally stopped and turned to face her, grabbing her by the shoulders.

"What did you mean by that? Was it just supposed to be a joke, to see what I would do? Is it payback for what happened yesterday in the office?" He was shaking.

"What are you talking about? You think I'm trying to exact some kind of revenge on you just because I was jealous? You know me better than that." She was genuinely hurt that he seemed to have no idea. How could he think she would even do that?

"I just don't understand your motives, and it certainly wasn't a comment to throw around likely so I need to know- what did you mean by it?" He was still staring, but he'd stopped shaking. His face was completely emotionless, but she understood what he needed to hear.

"You can be so thick sometimes. I love you, you idiot." She could hardly breathe when she said it. She wasn't sure the words even came out audibly. He must have heard, because his grip lessened on her shoulders. This was the moment that could be disastrous.

Before she could apologize for being out of line, he kissed her.

**A/N - another one! Getting excited about the story so I cranked this chapter out pretty fast. I hope you like it. I also really want to thank the two guest reviews I recently got. Really appreciated it and wish I could reply personally. More to come soon :) **


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N - this is a short one, but I needed to get the ball rolling after taking a little break from working on it. Hopefully things pick up again**

"Are you sure this is what you really want? I don't want you to think you have no other options. You're still young, after all. You have so much life left." The first day had been blissful, but now he was getting nervous. Life was never this perfect for Severus Snape, and he suddenly felt like he needed to ruin it fast before something went wrong.

She was probably confused.

They had spent the previous day just walking and talking, holding hands, and it all felt so natural. It was what love truly should feel like. He could be happy anywhere in the world if he was with her, and that's why he was sure someone would want to destroy that. Apparently, this meant he should destroy it first.

"I mean, my life isn't good for you. It's dangerous, and I still have the dark mark to answer to. I'm not free to live like this forever." He didn't want to say that he was probably too old for her, but these were all the fears he had from the beginning.

She smiled at him.

"You don't need to be afraid Severus, I've dealt with darkness too. Besides, we have the same fate, or have you forgotten?" She had a point. Even if things hadn't taken a romantic turn, she would still be following him everywhere, and would still be in danger. Her fate was always going to be intertwined with his.

"I suppose you are right, this is just… new." She knew this was his first real relationship. She couldn't expect him to be used to the idea after one day, he had years of fear to overcome.

For that reason he couldn't back out now. He loved her, and he knew that behind all his safety nets he needed her. This was his chance to heal. He could worry about the dangers they faced when the time came.

He planned this vacation hoping for things to turn out this way, and here he was wasting time trying to ruin it for himself. It was just so easy for him to be miserable that happiness was a hard habit to get into.

He completely abandoned attempts at lessons, and let himself relax for once in his life. He never remembered a time where he felt so free, or so completely happy. The days slipped by as they toured the country. They decided to visit the magical settlements all across Canada, visiting the coastline, the Great Lakes, the mountains and the prairies.

He felt like he was young again. This was his youth as it should have been: in love, travelling the world with a beautiful young woman that shared his passion for magic. Instead, he had been following the heels of a lunatic that should have been destroyed way back then, before he could ruin Snape's life; or anyone else's lives, for that matter.

_Except without him, she wouldn't even exist. _

That thought haunted him. The one person who had caused so much destruction, evil, and sadness, was responsible for the wonderful creature Severus Snape could not live without.

…and yet, he still seemed to be trying hard to take all that happiness away.

It was two weeks after they had sorted out their emotions when he felt it. That unmistakable burning that momentarily stopped his heart. They were walking through the forest in British Columbia, seeing how many nymphs they could spot in the ancient trees. He stopped in his tracks, and he could tell she sensed the shift in atmosphere.

He didn't need to look down at his arm to know it was there.

"What is it Severus?" The fear in her eyes was apparent, but her face was stone. She could hide the worry very well, just as he could.

Now he pulled back his sleeve, unable to say anything, and showed her the mark.

"What can he want? We were going back in a few days…" she stopped without questioning anymore, understanding the seriousness of the situation. Something was happening, or going to happen.

"We must go. Now." He pulled on her arm as they apparated back to the villa, throwing their belongings into the bag.

She hadn't even steadied herself from the first apparation when they were taking off, back to England.

He took them to Dumbledore's office. Normally, Hogwarts grounds could not be apparated to, but as the Headmaster he now had magical privileges that allowed him to break many of the protective spells.

This had good intentions, incase the school was ever in need of protection, but Snape was sure most Headmasters abused the perks for their own convenience.

This was one of those urgent instances, but for Athelina's safety, not the schools. He dropped her off in his new quarters with specific instructions.

"Stay here, do not move and do not leave. If someone knocks do not answer. Death Eaters cannot get in here, even if they can get in the rest of the school. The office has many particular wards to keep them out, some magic so old no one alive can even remember how to counter it. I will be back as soon as possible." He looked at her for a few minutes, memorizing her face so he had something to keep him from the sinking feeling that took over when he went to meet Voldemort. He leaned in to kiss her one more time, and left her alone in the cold empty room.

* * *

><p>She paced back and forth, unsure of how to occupy the time. She had no idea how long he had been gone. She also had no idea where he was going, what he was doing, or whether he was coming back that night. There were a few books laying about that she attempted to read, but she just couldn't concentrate. She looked out the little window beside the bed. It would be nice to live somewhere that had actual sunlight for once. The forest was starting to change colours already. It was still only July, but it seemed like Autumn was fast approaching.<p>

She wasn't sure how she felt about Severus being the Headmaster this year. He wouldn't have any classes to teach, but he would be significantly busier. She wasn't worried about missing out on lessons (there was very little she couldn't teach herself) but she hated being alone all day.

Even the sun seemed to be setting slowly. She sat and watched it go down, hoping to hear him opening the door before darkness crept in

_What are they making him do that's taking so long? Could they know where we've been? _

Scenarios flashed through her mind of horrible things they could be doing to him, or making him do to others. It was making her ill, so she crawled into bed and attempted to memorize charms until her mind gave up and let her fall asleep.

Most of the next day went by at the same snail pace, when she finally heard him land in the office. She wanted to run out and greet him, but she remembered the command not to leave the room. He might not be alone.

He came in, face grave, and sank on the bed. She put her arm around him, waiting for him to say something.

"I'm sorry I was so long. They had all this new information to throw at me – new laws and positions they were putting in place." He turned and looked at her, and she could see serious pain in his eyes.

"That isn't what they called you back for." She knew he wanted to talk about it, but he probably wasn't sure how. "What did they do to you? What do they know?"

"No, nothing like that. If it was that do you think we would still be sitting here? They…he called a banquet for all the Death Eaters. He wanted to announce his new implementations, and he brought along his idea of entertainment." At this he choked up.

She couldn't bear to look at him anymore, so she pulled his head towards her shoulder and stroked his hair as he talked.

"He killed her right over the table, like an animal. It was sick, but the worst part was that she was looking right at me. She was calling to me to save her, and I could only sit there and watch." At those words her stomach wrenched.

"Who?" Did she even want to know? Could she put a face to that sickening story? A personality to the life the horrible excuse for a man just took away as if it was some sick game?

"Charity Burbidge, the muggle studies professor. We weren't exactly friends, but she was a good person, Lina, she had done nothing wrong. Why couldn't I have stopped it?" She held him like that as he shook with pain, until he fell asleep.

She lie awake for hours, wondering what kind of sick person could watch that happen and not feel the way Severus was feeling.

Yet there was a table of people who were there that probably went home to their families and didn't give it a second thought.


	20. Chapter 20

This was just too much. Snape couldn't handle any of this anymore. It had taken all his skill to prevent himself from letting loose and killing the lot. Of course, he wouldn't have lasted long, so it was good he could hold his temper. This was the exact thing he was hoping not to see when he walked in to Malfoy Manor that night. He felt horrible for Charity, but he couldn't help picturing Athelina's face the entire time.

He had seen far too many people he cared for murdered, and this would be the end. He knew their plans, and he needed to keep his promise to help Potter defeat them in any way possible.

He always intended to do his job, but lately he'd become a bit sidetracked by the whole falling in love thing. He wouldn't let that stop him from his work anymore. She was important – the most important thing, but that meant doing everything to protect her.

He'd settled down once he woke up the next morning, and he came up with his plan of attack. He left Athelina sleeping peacefully and went out to sit at the desk. Dumbledore's desk. Well, it was his desk now. Strange how quickly things had changed.

He reviewed the facts. Voldemort was putting him in charge of Howarts, which would allow him to make sure his allies were well protected, even if they thought he was an enemy. He also had access to powerful tools within the castle, which would prove helpful.

Voldemort knew Potter was to be moved soon, before his 17th birthday. He knew the date they would likely move him, and he also knew someone was giving them false dates. He tried to cleverly encourage the false information without seeming obvious. It wouldn't be long until they wound up in Grimmauld Place. He just needed to keep monitoring, and waiting patiently for everything to start.

He'd managed to avoid being part of the offensive sent after Potter and the Order members protecting him. He'd already done enough damage to his allies, without actively hunting them.

Besides, he knew that the minute he was spotted, they would target him. He wasn't exactly popular with the people he was trying to help.

At least Voldemort knew about this last point. Snape was a very wanted man, so sending him out in the open where he might be recognized was dangerous to the mission. This gave him several days to figure things out, without having to worry about being interrupted.

First, there were a few people he needed to talk to.

* * *

><p>Athelina woke up rather confused. Her body wasn't used to the time change yet, and the Headmaster's quarters were unfamiliar. Light was creeping in through the curtain, and when she pulled it back she realized it was almost midday!<p>

_Where did Severus go that was so important he didn't bother waking me up?_

Just as she got dressed and wondered whether she would be stuck there alone again all day, she heard voices coming from the other side of the door. She pressed her ear against the crack, trying to figure out who was there.

Severus was obviously there, it was a voice she could recognize from miles away. Deep, commanding, and yet instantly comforting.

She couldn't quite make out what he was saying, but she definitely heard other male voices.

There was a charm in one of her books that amplified hearing, but it was probably still in Severus' library. Snooping on his conversations wasn't exactly polite, but she had every reason to know what was keeping him. Didn't she? After all, maybe it was something she could offer perspective in.

Running out of ideas, she transformed into a snake and stuck her head under the door crack. She couldn't see, but at least she could hear.

"No one has been in the house since you came by to check the state of the wards Severus. If I see or hear anything I will certainly let you know. We Slytherin Headmasters need to stick together after all." This made no sense to Athelina, and she couldn't tell where the man's voice was coming from.

"Thank you, I just need to know when the children arrive, and to make sure no Death Eaters get in. Now then, they are moving Potter soon. I have given them incorrect information, but they may still attack at the correct time. I have no way to make sure they are safe until they get to Grimmauld Place." Snape was pacing, she could see his feet moving back and forth. She couldn't see anyone else in the room.

There were other voices, all talking at once. Her hearing as a snake was excellent for judging distance, but an entire room of voices was hard to differentiate. She could only hear snippets of words until…

_That voice. I know that voice, but how can it be him?_

"There is only so much one man can do Severus. You will need to focus on your specifics tasks only. There are skilled wizards looking after the boy who can take care of him until he can escape to the house." It was his voice all right; she must be hallucinating. Too much stress or something…

She snuck back into the room to lay down for a bit. It couldn't actually be him, as he was most certainly dead.

* * *

><p>It was always believed that the Headmaster of Hogwarts needed the best advisors available. Who better to understand the burdens of running a school than those who had already done it? The portraits had no ulterior motives, no way to betray the Headmaster the way so many mortal wizards tried.<p>

When there was no one else Severus Snape could turn to for advice, he was very glad he was the Headmaster.

The portrait of Dumbledore had gone up not long after his death, but Snape had little chance to speak to it until this point. The other portraits had plenty of advice, but Albus knew the situation…he planned for everything.

"How can I just sit around and wait for news? Our lives depend on what happens over the next few days. " He shouldn't have taken the time off, he wasn't prepared for this.

"There is nothing else to be done but wait. Soon you will have a school to run, and you will be the least popular man around. Have things ready for each stage of the plan. Protect the school, protect the students, and most of all protect the girl. That is your job now. Everything else will fall into place when it needs to." He always made it sound so effortless. Other portraits began to chime in again.

"Yes indeed, protecting the school should always be the top priority of the Headmaster. In my day I had to fight off a number of dark forces, but I remembered to…" He never got to finish his story, as Dumbledore cut him off.

"Yes Vindictus, we know, but now isn't the time. If the rest of you wouldn't mind stepping out for a moment, I'd like a word with Severus." Despite some grumbling, the other portraits left their frames to wander around the school.

"Now, I can see things have changed between the two of you, as I'd hoped." Of course Dumbledore would clear the room just to talk about his personal life.

"Yes, you were right of course." Snape began pacing again, "But is it really a good idea? I mean, I'm happier than I can ever remember with her, but if I stick to the plan it certainly can't last." Dumbledore smiled at him kindly. He felt like he was being pitied by the painting, like he was weak for being unable to open up to love.

"Severus, if she makes you happy, be happy. Don't worry yourself over the future and overlook the present. Do what you need to do when you need to do it, but if you can't let your fears go and be with her, don't lead her on. You know full well she has had enough heartbreak in her life, and she trusts you." How could one person be so wise, and always know exactly what to say? Snape had no response.

He knew exactly what he needed to do next, so he nodded thanks and apparated away.

Dumbledore's portrait had a few visits of his own to make, leaving his frame before the other portraits could return.

* * *

><p>She woke up from her very confusing dream, where an entire court of death eaters was being held in the office. It was a trial, and Dumbledore was strapped to a chair. When she walked back over to the door the voices had stopped. She couldn't even hear him working. She slid under the door again, looking for any traces of visitors. Seeing the empty room, she transformed back so she could take a look around.<p>

"Well in all my years on this wall I have certainly never seen beautiful women materialize out of nowhere. "

She jumped when she heard the voice.

"Who said that?" No one was there, but now there were several voices laughing. She looked up towards the walls and saw the portraits staring down at her. She forgot they could speak, as she had never had an actual conversation with one. She read about it in a book at one point, but the idea of paintings having the ability to move and converse was a bit confusing for her.

"Well now, I said it, but I should like to know who you are and how you got in here." The man in question seemed different from the rest of the paintings. He was just as regal, but looked a bit less friendly. It was probably the dark hair and eyes, combined with the pointy beard and his snide tone.

"Athelina Kinsey, sir. I'm actually a student under Professor Snape." She felt like she shouldn't be introducing herself to anyone, but this was a painting. They couldn't do any real harm.

"Ah yes yes! Her majesty the Heir of Slytherin! My own house, you know. Phineas Nigellus Black, surely you've heard of me at some point. Terribly sorry for being rude my dear but I've only had a few glimpses of you before. I have heard all about you from Albus, of course, but you can never trust his opinion. After all, he was always getting involved with the wrong sort. Mudbloods and fools! We purebloods need to stick together! Of course you would understand that, with such an honorable lineage. I was just saying the other day how nice it is to finally have another Slytherin in charge around here. " He finally stopped talking, and she realized why he seemed less friendly. She _had _heard of him before, and all the historical records of Hogwarts made him seem like a less than efficient Headmaster. He was also very set in his pureblood ways, which she could tell after only a few minutes of conversation with his portrait.

She decided to cut their little chat short there, and use the opportunity to take a look around. The office was filled with magical equipment she was dying to get her hands on, and this could be her only chance to get a good look… but where to start?

She investigated the shelves, testing out instruments and tinkering with trinkets, when she saw it: a tattered old hat, sitting high on a shelf. She had always been curious about sorting; it was a part of the Hogwarts experience she regretted missing. The house you were sorted into said a lot about your personality and what you could expect for your magical future, according to everything she'd read at least.

It was pretty high, but using her wand she was just able to pull it off the shelf.

_I probably could have just used magic to get it down…_

She would remember that when she needed to put it back up. She could feel the magic radiating from the old tattered hat, and she was suddenly afraid. She felt like one of the first year students, about to sit down on the stool and have their fate decided. The outcome had no real effect on her, but something about holding it made her uneasy.

"Ahh, I wondered whether I had seen the last of the great line of Slytherin. I always feared what circumstances would bring a new heir under my brim. But I see you are different…very different indeed. Not exactly the age I'm used to sorting either, what caused you to put me on today?" The voice in her head was startling, but something about it calmed her immensely. The hat sounded wise, just the way a sorting hat should.

_I suppose I was just curious, since I never got the sorting experience_

It was weird trying to think a conversation.

"Hmm yes, well I've never sorted an adult before. It is very different with children, because the decision I make will affect their school experience. What house will they get the most out of? Where will they fit in best? It isn't just about general characteristics, but they are fairly easy to read. You are much more complex it seems. Lets see, well we certainly can't discredit that you are the heir of Slytherin. You have a thirst for knowledge; very Ravenclaw…however there is also bravery and loyalty. Cunning, snake-like impulse, protective, with a bit of a thirst for vengeance I see. It could be argued any way, but I would have to go with Slytherin. A parselmouth even; yes, you would certainly belong in Slytherin." Then the hat was silent.

She supposed she couldn't expect any less. Blood was thicker than water, as they said. Besides, being in love with the head of Slytherin house allowed her to ignore the negative stereotypes a bit. She sent the hat back up on the shelf and turned back towards the bedroom. It satisfied something in her, confirming that she was indeed doing the right thing. She would be a Slytherin, and the best one there had been.

**A/N- this one took me a while to get started, sorry for the delay. I wanted to add in the sorting bit because if I were Athelina I would always be curious :)**


	21. Chapter 21

There_ has to be a way to find out if they are watching the house…_

He was pacing back and forth in the Forbidden Forest, trying hard to think of his next move. He needed to get into Spinner's End, but he was sure they were still spying on him. There was no doubt Voldemort trusted him completely, he was far too good at his job, but lately he had been rather paranoid. He had closed off the floo connection when they left, but they could have found a way to monitor his fireplaces. They even could have found a way in.

_Why didn't I just take it with me? I should have known I'd eventually need it._

He hadn't exactly been thinking when he left the house, and it was something he rarely used. Why did bank vaults need keys anyways?

_A stupid question Severus, it's your own home and they can't stop you from going to it._

That was true. He was glad his brain was rational when his heart was far from it. He wasn't going with the girl, so he could stroll right up the path if he wished. Of course, he would still rather not encounter any of those brainless thugs. Besides, slinking around attracted more attention than confidence.

He apparated to his front porch and disabled the wards. Everything seemed exactly how they left it. The key was just where he stuck it the last time he needed to visit his family vault. That was years ago now, since he really only used his business account on a regular basis. The family account was filled with his inheritance, and all the old Prince heirlooms, nothing he tended to bother with.

Diagon Alley was quiet and depressing. Most passersby avoided eye contact out of fear, but the brave few who were not afraid gave him looks that could kill. It was uncomfortable, and the reason he rarely went out in public.

What he would give to be back in Canada, where no one hated him for murdering their most beloved protector.

Luckily for him, the goblins couldn't care less about the affairs of wizards as long as they still had business. He was escorted to his vault in one of those carts he always found rather ridiculous. He wished he could take Athelina down there with him, she would find it fascinating. She probably wouldn't even mind the ride.

It took some digging in the piles of boxes and cases, but he finally found what he was looking for. The box hadn't been opened in so long the hinges were beginning to rust. The goblin stood tapping his long fingers against the doorframe impatiently. If Snape didn't know any better he would have been worried about getting locked in. At the doors again, he tucked the box carefully in his robes and headed back to the castle.

He had to admit he was nervous. This plan could change everything. No, it _would_ change everything.

He walked back into his office quietly, hoping she wouldn't hear him and come running out. Dumbledore was sitting peacefully in his frame, chatting with the other portraits. Snape gave him a nod, indicating what he was about to do. The old man's smile indicated he knew exactly what was going on.

"Ah Severus you are back again! You just missed the lovely chat I had with the lady of the house. Very elegant, you can certainly see the resemblance to her…"The portrait started before Snape cut in.

"Yes thank you Phineas, she is quite charming, and I assure you she is only like her father in looks. Now then Albus, I will need your assistance in setting something up. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about, and stop smiling!" It was frustrating to know he was apparently predictable. However, Dumbledore knew him better than most.

"Already done my boy, now get on with it." Snape clenched his jaw. How did he anticipate everything even when he was dead?

"Well, good, I suppose I'll just…get on with it then. I'll let you know the outcome whenever I return." He wanted to stall, but the sooner he got it over with, the better.

* * *

><p>Athelina was unbelievably bored sitting in that room all day.<p>

She was a true survivor, narrowly escaping death on a daily basis. She abandoned the hard life for something better, and what did she get? She was sitting in a dark and lonely bedroom with nothing to occupy her very fast paced brain.

She supposed it wasn't fair to be so dramatic. After all, she was here to learn magic and become a proper wizard. It wasn't their fault she was such a fast learner, and she certainly didn't expect a babysitter.

She also didn't expect to fall in love with the man looking after her. He couldn't help leaving her alone so much either, with everything on his plate.

She practiced more of the dark magic she had been working on to occupy herself. It was going rather well, which didn't exactly surprise her. The way Phineas and the sorting hat treated her made it seem like she was the princess of the dark. Her status as a Slytherin was apparently a very big deal.

Not that she wanted to be associated with Slytherin at all, considering how she despised her father and all he stood for.

However, if being the Slytherin princess meant being with the Head of Slytherin house, she supposed it was appropriate. As long as this was a fairytale where she broke out of the chains of her past and defeat her demons. She was the heroine, not the damsel in distress.

The door opened, and the prince in question came in looking rather troubled. She intended to question him about the conversation he had with the portraits that morning, but he didn't look like he wanted to discuss much.

"So I hear you met a few of our esteemed former headmasters today…" He looked at her and she got the feelings he was less than impressed.

"Yes, well, I took a little trip for a change of scenery," two could play that game, "they seemed very pleasant." There was a change in the atmosphere. He softened.

"I'm sorry, I know it isn't very exciting being cooped up in here. I just can't take you with me on business. It's far too dangerous. To make it up to you we are going out this evening. I have an important task I need to take care of immediately." She found this a bit suspicious, but if it meant she could leave the castle she would go with it.

"Alright, you will need a proper disguise. I don't think I have anything suitable, but I can just transform one of your robes. " A plain robe materialized on her, and he changed it into a rather form fitting black dress. She had never owned anything like it, and she certainly hadn't expected to, but she had to admit it looked good. He apparently thought so as well.

"Perfect." He smiled softly, changing his own robes to a well-tailored black suit. "If you would accompany me, miss." He took her arm and apparated them away.

It was a busy street, in an area she didn't recognize. He grabbed her hand and pulled her along until they arrived at a restaurant surrounded by people, lights, cameras and very expensive cars. She assumed it was a muggle establishment, since the couples walking in and out were dressed in clothing similar to them, if not nicer.

What kind of business could he possibly have here?

"Two for Snape" he said to the hostess standing at the entrance, next to the line of annoyed-looking people waiting in vain to get in.

"Ah yes, right this way sir. I hope you will find everything to your specifications." She led them to a small room in the back. It was intricately decorated, with candles lit all over, and fresh cut roses in several vases. He whispered something to the hostess, who nodded and left.

"So what kind of business are we doing here, exactly?" She said, eyeing him up suspiciously.

"None yet, this is just the prelude. It's one of my favorite muggle restaurants. I'm sure you'll enjoy what I've selected for dinner." He smiled and poured her a glass of wine.

She decided not to worry about what he meant by prelude and enjoy being out with him. It was even nicer than the dinners they'd had on vacation, so she hoped he wasn't buttering her up for something horrible afterwards.

He must have done a fair bit of planning to set it up. The meal was excellent, and there was even a tray of fancy pastries for desert. As the dishes were cleared away, the server started some music and pulled back the curtain.

"Wait a second…is that…are we in Paris?" She shouted as she looked out the window. There, unobstructed by other buildings, was the Eiffel Tower. How on earth had he managed to book this, and for what purpose?

"Yes actually, have you been?" He smirked at her, knowing full well she had not. "Here, come with me." They walked over to the window and she noticed it opened onto a little balcony.

He stepped through it and held out his hand. It was such a surreal sight: the man who spent most of his life in a dungeon wearing a big black robe and yelling at students, standing in front of the Eiffel Tower in a very attractive suit. She followed him out and gasped. It was unbelievable.

"Lovely isn't it?" She asked, turning to find him staring at her, fidgeting with something inside his suit jacket.

"Very. Athelina, I…" he grabbed her hand, "I just wanted to say I never expected to find this in life. Everything has been hard for me, and I've grown to expect anything I care about to be taken from me. After a while I shut off my ability to care for anything at all. When I met you, I tried so hard to stay indifferent because I was worried it was just another way to make myself vulnerable to pain. I was told to open my heart up to love, because we both deserved the chance to heal. I realize that you make me happier than I have ever been, and despite all the danger we face every minute, I need to start living in the moment with you instead of fearing a future without you. I know it's a stretch, and I don't deserve you at all, but for some reason you chose to be with me. With that in mind, and hoping you haven't changed your mind about being with someone with such an unseemly past…would you do me the honor of being my wife?" He choked it out, shaking and barely audible.

He pulled out the box he had been fiddling with and opened it up.

She was momentarily stunned, but the longer she was silent the more he looked like he was going to pass out.

She finally laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"If you don't mind your current boss becoming your father-in-law, marrying you would make me the happiest witch in the world." She replied with tears forming in her eyes. He breathed an enormous sigh of relief and slipped the rather large emerald ring on her finger.

"This is a family heirloom, but hasn't been worn since my grandmother. It has been passed down the Prince line for centuries. The colour seems very fitting for the Slytherin princess." He chuckled, probably noticing how red her face was. He couldn't possibly know about her conversation with the sorting hat.

"It's beautiful. I don't know what to say! Thank you." She was not expecting the night to end like this.

"You don't have to say anything, as long as you don't make anymore father-in-law comments." He laughed before pulling her in for a kiss. "I feel like you have given me a new hope, and something better to fight for. I want to be able to take care of you as best I can." He said, stroking her hair.

"And you have given me a sense of belonging I have not felt for a long time." She turned to look back at the table as the staff cleaned it off. "I guess it's safe to assume that you have no other important business."

He smiled, and she could almost see the heavy weight on his shoulders lessen. They would make it through this. They would fight for each other.

**A/N I feel like this chapter is so sappy, but it's an important moment in their bond so I turned up the cheesiness a little. **


	22. Chapter 22

They decided it was best to get it done quickly. Severus had a few days before he was needed, and there was nothing else to do around the school until the next month. They weren't planning anything elaborate, since no one was to attend.

Athelina had no formal birth certificate or identification, but they were able to create everything they needed before heading to register. The only problem was they had no witnesses. He had a few acquaintances that would be willing to do it, but word could get around. They arrived at the muggle building where the register office was located hoping for an idea to come to them.

Athelina proved her status as a true Slytherin that day. She had a brilliant idea that Snape, despite his past, probably wouldn't approve of. She decided it would be best not to tell him.

_A great way to start your marriage… lying._

She couldn't help it; there was no other way. He would refuse using magic on the officiant to allow them to marry without witnesses. They would just have to find someone to convince.

"I saw some people walking that way who looked nice. If I go alone I'm sure I can convince them to sign for us." She wasn't sure if it sounded believable, especially since she was sure he could read her thoughts. However, if she was actually trying to convince them she would go alone. He seemed much too intimidating.

She ran around the corner after the young couple that had walked past, pulling out her wand.

"Imperio" She whispered at the two of them. They obligingly followed her back,very willing to help out.

The ceremony took very little time, and soon they found themselves exiting with their two new friends. While Severus was busy going over the paperwork, she released them and modified their memories. All the wandless magic she had been practicing finally came in handy. They wandered away smiling a bit vacantly.

"Well we'd better be going!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him away before he noticed the very confused muggles. He gave her a stern look that suggested he'd already noticed, but it turned into a smile as he grabbed her by the waist and whisked her away.

* * *

><p>"Well, I suppose it's time we resurfaced." Severus drawled, despite having no desire to go anywhere. They had gone back to Spinner's End, and had been living the past 3 days in domestic bliss.<p>

It was the closest he had ever been to a normal life, and he knew she felt the same way. This was how it should feel. He was glad they got to have it, if only for a little while. Harsh reality was calling them back, and it was better to return on one's own terms.

"Must we already? I haven't even made lunch." She waved her wand and was back in her school robes. Sandwiches appeared on the end table. She was truly remarkable.

"I'm afraid so, I need to meet with the previous Headmasters before I get news from the Death Eaters. I already fear what has been happening. Things are brewing in the wizarding world, and I have a feeling we will play an important part one way or another." He felt fear clutch at his heart, but he would not let it have control this time. This time he would be prepared for anything.

"You shall accompany me to my meeting, Mrs. Snape. I believe there are some current events that have not been covered in your studies, and you are probably ready to get more involved." His words were playful, but the intent was serious. She had valuable skills and opinions that could prove very useful in the trying times ahead. Not to mention the guilt he felt when hiding his plans from her. She was a part of him now, and that meant he needed to open up the parts of his life he wanted to hide.

"I'm very glad you said that Mr. Snape, as I was beginning to worry all my lessons were for nothing. I need an excuse to put my skills to work." She didn't seem worried about the meaning behind his words, but it was possible she hid her fear as well as he did.

They arrived back at the castle in the afternoon. He decided to have her take her usual perch in his sleeve, so they could walk the grounds and investigate the strength of the wards. He knew the time would come when they would be tested, and despite his dislike for most of the students, he really did care about their safety. He was Headmaster, after all.

The portraits were buzzing all throughout the school, moving between frames and whispering as they went by. He wondered what the commotion could be, but it was better to hear it from Dumbledore than the portrait of Merwyn the Malicious.

He could hear the commotion inside the office before the door was even opened. Something had happened before it should have. This was what he feared.

"Severus there you are! It has started, and you will probably be called upon soon! Come sit down quickly, there is much we need to do." Dumbledore's painting was agitated. There was a commotion in all the other portraits. He felt guilty for not arriving sooner.

He put Athelina down so she could change back. Of course something would happen while he was gone. Anger set in, as he readied himself for the bad news. They would have to run, or she would have to go and leave him to deal with whatever happened. Why was he not summoned?

"What's happened then? How long do we have before they come for us? I can protect the staff for a little while but I don't know if it's…" He stopped when the paintings went silent.

"Darling I don't think it's that bad yet. How about we listen first?" Her voice was soothing. Of course she was right, he was overreacting and that was dangerous. He decided to sit down before he broke something.

"Thank you Athelina, and might I say you look lovely. I assume he is treating you well?" She nodded, "Excellent! Well, as we discussed before Severus, they planned to move the boy just before his birthday while the trace was still up. You gave them the false dates, but unfortunately they still managed to attack at the correct time." The silence was painful, and he guessed why.

"Who did we lose? They didn't catch him or I would surely have known." A war was starting, death was inevitable, but he felt partially responsible for this. It was his job to convince them to attack on another date.

"Moody. One of the best. Potter made it safely to the Burrow, but who knows how long he will stay." Losing an auror was bad. He hoped a few on the other end got taken out to even up the score. Things were progressing much faster than expected.

"Pardon me, I don't want to intrude but I really have no clue what is going on. I guess we are talking about Harry Potter, but where is he going and why?" Athelina asked from her chair over by the wall. She looked thoroughly confused, and he knew she was probably dying to be a part of the conversation.

"I'll let you take this one Albus. I promised my wife she could be more involved in my work and I forgot to fill her in." Just saying that word helped calm him down.

"She knows nothing Severus? Where to begin...well my dear, your father did some terrible things in his lifetime in an attempt to gain immortality. He came very close, which is why he was never truly defeated when you were a child." Ouch, he had to bring up age.

"Wait, that explains so much! Horcruxes!" She exclaimed as if it was an epiphany. How on earth did she know what they were? Oh right, secretly studying dark magic.

"I see you are familiar with them for reasons I will not worry about. Yes, he split his soul into 7 pieces. Two have already been destroyed, and Harry is diligently searching for the others. Only after they have all been destroyed can Voldemort truly be killed. Severus is tasked with keeping an eye on Harry as best he can throughout his search." It was a quick version of the tale, but it was enough to satisfy her curiosity.

"Phineas, I'm sure they will be arriving any day. Voldemort is sure to attempt an attack on the Burrow once he assembles enough strength. That is the first place they will go for safety." He stood up and was pacing again. How would he know where they were the rest of the time?

"How will they destroy the horcruxes when they find them? Are they not incredibly difficult to get rid of?" He could tell she was interested. Her eyes widened and she sat forward in her chair.

"Yes, the magic behind a horcrux makes it incredibly difficult to destroy. After all, if you were trying to protect your soul you wouldn't make it easy to get rid of. It is a truly exhausting process, as the horcrux does not want to be destroyed. To get rid of the soul, the container needs to be damaged beyond repair. The question is, how do we do this?" Dumbledore said, looking to her for an answer. Snape knew, but he gave her a chance to brainstorm. She wanted to be involved, and like a good teacher, Dumbledore was encouraging her participation.

"Well it would need to be magic that was powerful enough to not be reversed. What destroys something so completely that magic cannot heal it…" She thought for a moment until she had the answer, "Feindfyre. It cannot be put out with water, and its curse consumes anything it touches. That's very dark magic though, how could three teenagers possibly be able to control it?" Dumbledore's portrait looked pleased. She had come up with one, and also outlined the problems they faced with this option. Few could conjure it, even fewer control it.

"Exactly, they cannot. It would devour them along with the Horcrux and anything around them. However, there is another way. It is just as rare, and just as difficult to obtain. We are lucky that one of the few sources in existence since medieval times currently sits under the castle." Snape replied, emphasizing 'lucky' to indicate it really hadn't been very lucky at all. More like horrifying and fatal. "You should know all about this one Lina." He gave her a small smile as he saw the wheels turn in her head. It was her area of expertise, after all.

"Of course – basilisk venom! How did I not sense it before? Difficult to get because the basilisk is rare and highly dangerous…few can control it, they are illegal, and they kill you almost instantly. The venom is one of the most dangerous substances, only cured by phoenix tears. The last know basilisk in existence was bred by Salazar Slytherin and lived in the Chamber of Secrets. The body is still there?" She knew more about the basilisk than the average student. Even before she arrived at Hogwarts the knowledge was there, as the horror of the King of Serpents was not hidden from other snakes. They could sense its presence even if they were hundreds of miles away.

Her relation to Slytherin and parseltongue abilities would have allowed her to control it, were the creature alive.

"Yes it is, and the venom has already been used to destroy two of the horcruxes, in one way or another. Harry destroyed Tom's diary in the Chamber itself, using one of the serpent's fangs. I destroyed the Gaunt ring, using the Sword of Gryffindor. What can you tell me about goblin-made swords?" This was now of interest to Snape. He had no idea how Dumbledore destroyed the ring. Harry didn't have the sword, and it was currently in Snape's care.

"They absorb what makes them stronger. It would be safe to assume Harry Potter used the sword to kill Slytherin's Basilisk? The sword would then absorb the venom and you could use it to destroy the horcruxes." It almost seemed too easy.

"So you need me to give them the sword, is what you are saying?" The Sword of Gryffindor was sitting in a case at the back of the office.

"Well as it happens, I left the sword to Harry in my will, along with a few other items to help them along. I believe the Minister will show up any day now to collect the items. You should probably leave everything in an obvious place and put a concealing charm your possessions. They received the will a few days ago." Great. Ministry officials barging into his office and poking around.

"Until Potter has left the burrow, and I know the items you are sending him have gone, I will not be able to plan my next move. There has to be some other way I can figure out what's going on. I no longer have connections where the Order is concerned. It would also be beneficial to see what is going on at the ministry. Soon Voldemort will have it under his control, and we need to prepare for that." It was nice to be able to think aloud for once, and have others there being supportive of your plans.

"So what you are saying is that you wish there was someone who could spy for you? Perhaps a person who was able to observe without being seen or recognized? How convenient that would be." Dumbledore's portrait raised his eyebrows, obviously trying to make some unknown point.

_Ah, that's it. Who in this room can wander around without being questioned, or see without being_ seen?

"Darling I believe the representation of our previous headmaster is trying to suggest that you would make a good spy." He said, his tone feigning shock that Dumbledore would even dare suggest such a thing. He didn't like letting on when others had good ideas.

If he was being honest, he didn't want her to realize how good an idea it really was. The part of him that was entirely professional knew that in terms of his goals having her spy would be a vital asset.

The other part of him was her husband, and could not tolerate putting her at risk for a mission that's purpose was to ensure her safety. He promised to keep her away from Voldemort and anyone that could hurt her. This part wanted to put her in a bubble and never let her out.

It was safe to say the two halves were at war.

"That's brilliant actually. If I could apparate close enough and transform no one would be the wiser." His face fell. Of course she thought it was a great idea. He was the one who said she needed to be more involved in his life. What kind of idiotic idea was that?

"That is all well and good, but we need to remember how dangerous it is out there. She hasn't done anything like this before." He masked the fear rather well, he thought.

"You have nothing to fear Severus," or maybe not, "She knows how to defend herself, unless all your reports on her progress were lies." He had him with that one. Say she wasn't ready, and admit to failing as her teacher.

"Fine we will work something out, but you will not be meddling in any of it!" He was the Headmaster now, and anyone who was spying did so for him. Especially if the 'anyone' was Athelina. Dumbledore could control him, but he could not control her.


	23. Chapter 23

"Are you sure you actually want to do this? I wont be upset if you say no, I'm worried you only did it because you felt it was necessary. I have other ways to get information." He was practically begging now, but he didn't think she would realize. Obviously she did, she could read him easily.

She also knew he had absolutely no other way to get information. It was a bold lie in an attempt to be overprotective.

_Ok so the only reason I'm actually in this situation is because he was tasked with being overprotective. It's his job. _

She just didn't understand why he wanted her to be involved, and changed his mind as soon as she was.

"No, you do not. Besides, you said I should be more involved. This is something I can use my…natural talent for. You said it only needs to be until we know what is going on behind the scenes." She crossed her arms, determined not to let him talk her out of helping.

"I do not want to sit around here while you go risking everything for me. I need to play a part in this and I refuse to be locked up." It was not a wish; it was a command. "Now tell me what the real problem is." She softened a bit, wanting him to open up about his concerns. He tried so hard to be strong when he was feeling insecure.

"It's not a problem, I'm just worried you will get hurt. I know I promised you could be a bigger part of the mission, but it is extremely dangerous work for someone so young and inexperienced." He refused to look at her as he said it. He could tell she would not like that comment.

How dare he?! Too young?

"Bloody Harry Potter is out there in the open hunting horcruxes and you say I'm too young to hide in the grass and listen? Can you even hear yourself right now?" She yelled. He was silent for a few minutes before he turned and looked at her again.

"I know, I'm sorry. I'm just…not used to having anything to lose. I already lost it all a long time ago, and you mean so much more than everything else. If it really is that important we will do it." He was being sincere, so she accepted the apology.

He just didn't understand that it was killing her to sit around and do nothing. She didn't want to tell him for fear of overreaction, but she really only wanted revenge. She loved him and wanted to be a helpful part of his life, but her need to be involved ran deeper than that. This war was in her blood. Even the little things could satisfy that desire for now.

They came up with a plan that would provide enough information, without putting her in too much danger.

First he would apparate her to muggle London and send her to the Leaky Cauldron. She could go in and listen in human form, trying to gather as much news as she could. From there she would sneak into a fireplace and floo to the Ministry of Magic. After trying her best to see if anything was out of the ordinary, she would make her way back to the entrance in muggle London. Finally, he would apparate her to a field near the Burrow, where she could use her snake form to see what was going on with the Order. The plan would begin the next day, so they would not waste any time. Things were probably getting worse by the minute. They practiced some simple defensive spells, and other charms that could come in useful should she have any trouble.

The first part of the plan went flawlessly. She ordered a drink in the Cauldron, pretending she was visiting from America. The accent was fairly easy to imitate by charming her voice.

She discovered most of Diagon Alley was either boarded up or empty. Few people dared to leave their homes and visit the shops. One patron quietly told her that Death Eater's had been patrolling the streets. No one felt safe, and stores were rapidly losing business.

She politely asked to borrow the floo, and managed to get into the Ministry. It was easy to blend in here, but when she stood around looking lost it drew attention. Everyone looked very serious, and walked quickly through the building without stopping to talk. Strange men were walking back and forth several times, trying not to attract much attention. If she had to hazard a guess, they were doing the exact same thing she was, but for more sinister purposes. One of these men had been eyeing her suspiciously as she walked by. It was probably time to leave. As she made her way to the exit, she noticed he was following from a distance. She slipped around the corner and transformed when no one was looking. She moved quickly along the wall right before the door, hiding in the shadows where she could easily blend in. He came around the corner expecting to see her going out. He pulled out his wand and left the building, her following close behind so she could get through the open door. When he got onto the street she was nowhere to be seen. He looked back and forth a few times before disappearing.

Still a bit shaken up, she stayed a snake and made her way towards the place Severus was to meet her.

* * *

><p>He had been standing in the shadows for quite some time, waiting until she came out. Hardly anyone used this entrance, so it surprised him when a man came out in a hurry, searching the streets for something.<p>

_Wait a minute, I know him from somewhere. Yes, he was present at the last Death Eater feast! He must be a new recruit Voldemort is using to spy on the Ministry._

Just as he was about to go question the man, he disappeared. This was not a good sign. Who was he looking for, and why was he hanging around the ministry? Lina was only a few minutes late, but he began to worry.

Death Eaters patrolling the streets did not make him feel at ease.

It was the kind of fear that made his skin crawl. He jumped; something was actually crawling on his skin. It had taken him by surprise, but the cool, smooth snake body wrapping itself around his arm was all too familiar. He took that as his cue to leave.

"What happened and what did you see?" He asked as soon as they landed safely. She transformed in order to respond to the questioning.

"Well I didn't really see much, it was all very quiet and suspicious. There were men patrolling the halls, and that one followed me as I turned to leave. I just managed to transform and escape. I thought he might have been Ministry security but he never came back in." She was getting progressively more worried as she explained.

"Well by the look of him I'm sure you know he did not work for the Ministry. I'm quite certain he is a newly recruited Death Eater, who has been stationed at the Ministry for a purpose not yet known to me. What were you doing when he started following you? Did you speak to anyone?" If the Death Eaters found her interesting it certainly wasn't because they thought she was beautiful.

He knew something like this would happen; she just attracted too much attention.

"No, I didn't say anything. I made myself look rather lost and confused. Maybe I just wandered around a bit too long, or I lingered? He probably just followed to see where I was going. " She was trying her best to calm him down.

"How can you possibly know for sure? This is exactly why I didn't want you to go at all!" He was taking his fear out on her, he knew it, but she wasn't realizing just how serious this could be. She didn't have to deal with these people all the time.

"Oh really? That's why you didn't want me to go? I thought it was because you wanted to lock me up in a box. Besides, they have no idea who I am, so even if they were looking for me where would they think to begin? No one has seen me, they don't know my name, and they have no actual reason to care!" She was angry. He didn't understand why she was yelling at him, he was only worrying about her safety.

"Fine, if you think it doesn't matter, let's get on with the last stage. Remember to STAY as a snake this time, you are spying on peoples' homes. " Out of all the places to send her, this one was probably the most dangerous. "Just find out what they are up to, then leave." He folded his arms, a scowl he hadn't sincerely worn in several months beginning to form. She sighed and pulled his arms down, kissing him sincerely.

"I promise you I can look after myself. I will be careful, and I will find out what we need to know. " He wanted to believe her. The sincerity in her eyes was almost painful. He took a deep breath and they disappeared.

It was hard for him to place so much trust and responsibility in another person. He was used to taking everything into his own hands, but here he was, preparing to sit idly by while someone he loved risked everything for him.

They landed in a forest, not too far from very open English countryside. Smoke was rolling over a hill in the distance. It was probably coming from their home. Whatever wards they were using obviously didn't hide the location of the old shack.

"Alright, this is your portkey." He placed an old vial on the ground by a tree. "It leaves in exactly 2 hours, so you _must_ be here by then and holding it if you want to get back to the castle. If you do not arrive I will take that as my cue to come looking for you, but that probably won't turn out well." He took her hand and squeezed it. "Please be careful."

"I will, I promise. Do not leave the school, I will be back in time." She gave him a meaningful look that reflected all his fears. It seemed so simple, but if she were found now everything would be over.

* * *

><p>There were obviously wards surrounding the premises. She could see the smoke but could not see the house. She slithered in the direction she assumed was correct, and could eventually sense the magic in the wards. There was a distinct magical force field in front of her, and she was terrified. In theory, going through it wouldn't be a problem in this form, but there was always that chance it wouldn't work.<p>

_Ok tail end first, just in case. _

She tapped the wall of magic with her tail. Nothing but the sensation she was going through a sheet of water. She bit the bullet and slid through. There was a tall and rather crooked house emitting the large clouds of smoke. There were people bustling around everywhere. She got closer, trying to avoid trampling feet.

"Honestly Minister, I'm very glad to have you here, but it's Harry's birthday and we have a big wedding to prepare…" The woman's voice did not seem pleased to see the Minister at all. Athelina couldn't see inside the house, but she could hear the conversation well enough.

There were familiar voices. Harry, Ron and Hermoine had entered the room. She could hear chairs scraping and people shuffling around. This meeting was exactly what she wanted to hear.

* * *

><p>"You are going to wear a hole in the floor if you don't quit pacing!" One of the portraits yelled. He wasn't sure which, since he was a bit preoccupied with his worrying. He tried very hard to get work done when he came back to the castle. It took him all of 5 minutes to give up and just start panicking. What if she couldn't get through? What if they found her? What if the Death Eaters found her?<p>

He worked himself into a frenzy as time started ticking. Only 2 minutes before the portkey left.

_One minute. What will I do if she doesn't come back? 45 seconds…I will probably ruin the entire mission going to get her back. 15 seconds now. _

There was a loud whoosh as she appeared in a heap on the floor. Her portkey travel experience was a bit lacking.

"I just made it back in time, there was so much going on. I assume you noticed Scrimgeour came by and got the items from the will?" She dusted herself off and took a seat in his chair.

"No actually…he was there?" How had he missed that? They had been right on his desk, and the portraits surely would have told him.

She recounted the entire conversation, including the bits and pieces she caught between Potter and the Minister in the shed. Snape wasn't surprised that Scrimgeour was interrogating the boy. It was his only real skill.

The most interesting part to him was the talk of this wedding. Were they really planning on running the security risk of having a large group of wizards congregating at their house? He knew the Order was always a bit frivolous, but this was downright stupid. If something was going to happen, and he was sure it was coming, that would be the time and place.

"I'm sure something is going to happen at that wedding. It will be when they finally leave. Something strange is happening, I can feel it." She said, mirroring his exact thoughts. He was sure she was right about that, but how would they know when it happened?

* * *

><p>She could tell he wanted to send her back the next day. He was having an inner battle between the husband and the spy. She was certain Voldemort was planning something for the day of the wedding.<p>

She wanted to be useful, but she was just so exhausted. As much as she had been begging for something to do, her body had gotten used to sitting around doing nothing. She certainly was no longer used to all the energy needed to travel long distances as a snake.

"What do you think we can do about it?" She was hoping the answer was nothing. He looked puzzled for a few minutes before he finally answered.

"I don't really know. I feel like we should be watching, but it will be even more dangerous than today. As much as I hate to say it, all we might be able to do is wait." It was a hard thing for him to say. She knew he didn't take any pleasure in sitting around waiting for bad news, so her safety must really have been on the line.

She knew he wouldn't be sleeping that night, or until the inevitable occurred, but she was so exhausted that even the suspense could not keep her awake. It was possible she would wake up to horrifying news, but it was coming one way or another. She politely excused herself from the office, pushing the look of fear on his face from her mind as she slipped into a dreamless slumber.


	24. Chapter 24

The waiting had been agonizing, but what came next was probably worse. In a matter of hours the Ministry had been overthrown, Potter and his friends managed to escape, and the Burrow was attacked. The office was silent as soon as they heard. The portraits in the Ministry reported back as soon as it started, and Phineas was able to confirm when the trio arrived at Grimmauld Place.

They both sat at the desk, staring at each other in shock. She wanted nothing more than to say something comforting, but she had little to say. He was probably upset that he didn't know it was coming.

At least Phineas was able to keep an eye on Potter for them, while they figured out what was going to happen to the school.

They assumed he would be summoned later that evening. Now that the Ministry had fallen, Voldemort could start making changes behind the scenes, and it was guaranteed the Hogwarts would be a big part of the process.

"Apparently Pius Thicknesse is the new Minister. They've bumped off Scrimgeour." His face was emotionless.

"No! Imperius? This is moving faster than I expected." She had just seen Scrimgeour yesterday, and now he was dead. If this was what being involved in war was like, she was close to changing her mind.

"Well obviously it's moving quickly, they have likely had it all in place for months. It was just a matter of waiting for the pieces to fall in place. With the Minister gone, Pius is put under the curse and elected in. After that everyone at Malfoy Manor is laughing. I'll be invited to join the festivities any moment." He said sarcastically. How he managed to be snide at a time like this she did not understand. The thought of all of them celebrating…of him celebrating, made her absolutely ill. She actually felt as if she would vomit.

"I think I need to lie down for a while. Are you sure you don't need any rest? Who knows how long you will have to be there." She saw him clutch his arm as she suggested it. It was time.

* * *

><p>Apparently he had to be there for several hours. It was nearly 2am when he finally made his way back to the castle. Athelina was still awake and waiting to hear what had gone on, but he was so exhausted that it just had to wait until morning. He hadn't slept for a few days.<p>

That morning there was no sunrise. The clouds were so thick it was almost as if the sky knew what was happening below it. Severus woke with a start, nearly pushing his sleeping wife out of the bed. She looked so peaceful, as if nothing could harm her. He only wished that were true. Letting her be for the moment, he went out to check with the portraits and see what happened over night.

He would need to start a list of those lost, those cursed and any that decided to jump sides. Behind the horror of open war lied a deep network of politics and paperwork. Not to mention all the work he needed to do running the school. Letters should have been sent already, but the list of students admitted needed to be drastically revised to fit the new views of the Ministry.

He pulled out the long scroll of students and began scratching off names.

"Busy this early in the morning? It's still dark out!" She stumbled out of the room and into a chair.

"Actually love, it is already approaching lunch. I have a lot to do now that a third of our students are seemingly unfit to attend." He sighed as he crossed yet another name off the list.

"I'm assuming this is a new change, but I don't know exactly what you mean. Care to tell me what went on that kept you so late last night?" The stern look she was giving him would make any other man cower, but he was used to the glares of Minerva, and he knew Lina's threats were empty.

"Yes well, it seems much of the Ministry has either turned or been imperioused. They are going to begin rounding up Order members, and others they deem a threat. An enchantment has been put on the Dark Lord's name, so they can track those who use it. Also they are putting all muggleborns on trial and prohibiting them from coming to Hogwarts." That was the worst news, but he threw it in as an afterthought hoping she wouldn't get worked up.

"Hold on, did you just say… they are putting them all on trial? For what? None of the can come back to Hogwarts? This is insane, what happens to the ones who are found guilty of whatever it is they are on trial for?" Her questions were exactly what he was thinking, but he simply had to go along with it.

"Well, their wands are taken and they are probably removed from their jobs. I'm currently in the process of removing all muggleborn students from the enrollment list. Before you say it is disgusting and an outrage, I know it is, but being away from wizarding society is probably best for them until he is defeated. We need to do what we have to in order for our plans to work. There are going to be sacrifices, people are going to get hurt, but we just need to keep going." His words were meant to comfort her, but they were also to assure himself that they were doing the right thing. Her silent nod confirmed that she understood.

The letters to the students went out later that week. Responses from parents flooded in, informing the school that their children would not be returning. Many wizards were going on the run, taking their families to countries where they had ties.

Teachers began owling, asking about the new curriculum, the new books and the new Board of Governors. A few teachers also decided they were not coming back. Severus began to worry about how he was going to handle his old colleagues with the new rules he was being forced to put in place. He needed them to respect his authority, but he also didn't wish them any harm. He would need their help in the end.

"They are watching Grimmauld Place, and the registry of muggleborns is about to begin. Has there been any movement from within Phineas?" He sat in his desk with his hands folded. He worried what the boy would do. The paper had printed that Harry was wanted for questioning. It wouldn't take him long to do something rash, he wasn't exactly known for thinking before doing.

"They have been rather busy Headmaster. He has seen the paper, and they are brewing some sort of potion to aid in their plans. If I hear they plan on moving I will let you know." The portrait was being uncharacteristically helpful. Perhaps Dumbledore had put him up to it.

"Do they already know you are to be Headmaster this year love?" Lina sat on the edge of his desk, trying hard to be helpful but proving to be more of a distraction.

"No, only the staff and the board know. Once parents find out I'm sure there will be far more dropouts. We will likely get quite a few howlers. It is unfortunate that they will all be so blind. With me in my current position, this school is likely the safest place for them unless they were to completely leave the continent. They wont understand that it could have been much worse." He sighed. His popularity was about to reach an all time low.


	25. Chapter 25

"Severus Snape Confirmed As Hogwarts Headmaster. Wow they couldn't have found a better picture of you to put on the front page? This will really make parents feel good about sending their children to school." The Prophet had finally run the new article about the changes at Hogwarts. Conveniently, it was run the day students were supposed to be sent to school.

Athelina was trying her hardest to lighten the mood in the room. Her husband's stress had skyrocketed ever since the staff arrived.

He had asked her to come to the first staff meeting, because her presence calmed him down. He barely slept the nights leading up to it. She remembered the sickly colour of his skin that morning before she crawled in his sleeve.

The staff didn't make it much easier. Those aligned with the Order simply glared at him unapologetically as he gave his piece. The Carrows grinned wickedly from the corner, and gave little bows when introduced. Severus tried his best to seem unattached to the new rules about punishments and lessons, keeping his usual sullen approach to public speaking. Afterwards all he wanted to do was sit at his desk in silence.

Today he was doing the same thing. She sat in the chair opposite him, reading the article as it described the new additions to the staff. She could see why they had the article come out when students were already travelling to the school. The section on the Carrows made her want to leave the building.

"So what is the plan for today?" She asked, hoping to finally pull him out of the depressing silence.

"Well, all the happy children arrive just before dinner, and I get to make a speech about how the terrifying hell they are living in is actually good for society. Meanwhile, the rest of the sane wizard community is quietly wishing me every ill they can think of. " He said, still staring straight ahead. This was going to be difficult to live with unless she got him to talk about it.

"Alright, time to talk. You are bottling again and if this is how we start the new school year it isn't going to go well. What is your biggest worry?" She grabbed his hands and forced him to look at her.

"How do you not know? Do you think I enjoy having to do all this?" His eyes were red.

"Of course not, and I do know, I just want you to be able to talk to me about it. So start talking." Sometimes he needed to be pushed before he would share. He ran his thumb along her palm, planning what he wanted to say.

"I'm not exactly worried, it's just uncomfortable. I have never been a particularly well-loved teacher. Don't tell me you thought so because before we were together you weren't exactly fond of my methods, and you ended up essentially teaching yourself. Students and other teachers didn't exactly like me, but they were not forced to either. They could silently dislike me and not have to do anything but go about their business. Now, however, everyone has a very good reason to dislike me, and I am the boss. When they dislike the way the school is being run I am to blame. When they need to put a face to the regime causing so much pain to the students they care about I am that face. How do I live with that knowing I truly am the villain? They think I killed their hero, they all want me dead and have to go about their days acting like they respect my leadership." He was gripping her hands so hard she was starting to lose feeling.

"You want to know how you are going to live with it? Maybe there is no specific way; it's just something you need to do. It's something we need to do together. This is the moment we have been working towards. It is the most important stage of the mission. You have the skills pretending to be heartless and evil, you have been doing it for ages. The only difference here is that you are doing the performance for a new audience. Don't get lost in character. I will be here every moment to remind you that you are not that man." She let go of his hands to stroke his hair. She could see tears starting in his eyes.

"I don't want to be that man. I promise you that I will always be the man you need." He kissed her hand as they heard a cough coming from the wall.

"Sorry to ruin your touching moment, but we have a bit of an issue. It seems that the trio has finally read the article and they are not exactly pleased. The girl has taken down my portrait, and they are making plans to infiltrate the Ministry of Magic." Phineas sat in his frame looking rather put out. He was probably angry that his portrait was removed from the wall.

"NO! Of course it would be right when things are most difficult for me. How am I supposed to keep my eyes on them when I have a school to run?" He put his head back in his hands.

"Alright, how can I help? You need to focus all your time on the staff and students. You need to make a speech tonight and everything needs to be in order by the time they arrive. What do you need me to do for Potter?" She stood up and pulled out her wand, ready to do whatever he needed. The sudden movement made her feel a bit woozy and a little sick, so she sat back down.

"Actually I know what I will do. You go start setting the school up, and I will get everything ready in here. Phineas, go back to the other frame and see what else you can hear. Try and find out their plans for the Ministry. " Pulling out a piece of parchment she began taking notes. If she could plot their movements she could arrange to look after them from a distance. He couldn't leave the school, but it didn't mean she had to stay.

Severus left the office to walk around the school once and make sure everything was in proper order. She stood up and paced a bit, still feeling slightly sick. She was probably nervous, this would be the first time she tried apparating on her own. If something went wrong he would not be there to help her.

Phineas would likely be in the house for some time. She could pop down and assess the situation before he ever came back. Albus had been coaching her while her husband was out, and she figured she would be able to get out around the wards. She just needed to think of the image of the street. Think about it, and picture being there.

She felt her feet leave the ground, and she opened her eyes to see a dark alley. She stepped on the street and was amazed she actually ended up in the right place. Only a few blocks up and she would be right by the house. Dumbledore could not tell her the exact address, but she was able to find the general area. All she really needed to see was whether the Death Eaters were waiting.

It was fairly obvious that they were. Four rather large and conspicuous men stood before the rows of houses, taking turns pacing and staring. Still nothing changed. She waited there for an hour, lurking in the shadows, wondering if they would do something other than stand.

She got back to the school before Severus could come back and notice she was missing. Phineas still wasn't back in his frame, so hopefully he was getting some useful information.

Grabbing some parchment she began writing down descriptions of the men and their activities. She still felt a bit tired and dizzy from travel, so she took it with her into bed. A little nap might not hurt while she waited to hear from the painting.

* * *

><p>Snape came back that afternoon, an hour before students were expected to arrive. The rest of the staff was tense and he needed a break. He found his wife sitting at his desk frantically taking notes. She was looking a bit pale, but he assumed it was just the worry and the stress.<p>

"What are you writing?" He asked, making her jump.

"Oh darling I didn't even see you come in! Just writing up the details I was given on what Potter will be doing at the Ministry tomorrow, and finishing the character sketches of the men watching the house." She went back to her furious scribbling. Had she been to the house then? That was a lot of work off his plate.

"They plan to go tomorrow? And how did you manage to see these men?" He walked up behind her to look at the drawings. They were certainly Death Eaters, but low profile ones who would attract less attention standing on the street.

"Yes, Phineas heard the whole thing and reported back. There is something they are trying to obtain, and they plan to use Polyjuice to get in and retrieve it. I know where they plan to meet and at what time. If all goes well I will try to follow them at a distance and ensure things go to plan." She finished her writing and stood up. "Now how are things going here?"

"Wait, you mean to say you can leave the castle and come back on your own? You plan to waltz into the Ministry and follow Harry Potter around? I don't think so." This wouldn't do! He didn't mind if she watched the house while he was busy, but having her go off and attempt to protect them seemed a bit too risky. Especially when he was too busy to leave and help her if something went wrong.

"I will be fine. You didn't know I was gone today and I made it back in one piece. I promise to be careful, but obviously it needs to be done. We are the only ones that know, and you certainly can't go." She was determined; he would have a hard time stopping this.

"Fine go; I suppose you'll just be sitting here otherwise. But if there is even a hint that you could be in danger you had better come right back." He sounded like a parent speaking to a child. She did not like that much, so he decided to change the subject. "In the meantime, did you want to come with me to the feast? I would feel better having you there." He asked as he rubbed her shoulders, making an effort to convince her. At least with her there he didn't feel so alone in the sea of unfriendly faces. She agreed to come along and witness his first few moments as Headmaster.

"Good evening staff and students. For those of you joining us for the first time I'd like to extend my welcome. For everyone else, welcome back. As your new Headmaster it is my job to inform you of a few changes being made this year in the school. I am pleased to announce two new staff members, Alecto Carrow who will be teaching Muggle Studies, and Amycus who is teaching the Dark Arts.'

'Teachers are to be informed that all students you wish to be punished are also to be sent to the Carrows from now on. May that be a warning to all troublemakers. While you may have heard differently outside the castle walls, I wish to assure you that Hogwarts still strives to be the best in terms of wizarding education, and I hope you all take your studies very seriously. Enjoy the feast." He managed to get through it all without making eye contact.

He sat down as the food appeared on the tables. He could feel eyes on him, and there was significantly less chatter. While he was never exactly social, it still made him sad that he needed to be the one to suck the joy out of the place that had been his home for so long. His only solace was the cold form wrapped around his arm. Unlike the other snake his arm bore, this one gave him comfort. He got through the night without having to speak to anyone else until his closing statements, and returned to the office as fast as possible.

The elves sent some of the feast up for Athelina, but she was not very hungry. He had only picked at his dinner so he finished off the plate.

"I feel like that speech was the worst thing I have ever had to say." He left the office and collapsed on the bed, his teaching robes still on. She followed him in and sat beside him.

"You did what needed to be done. I think there were many things that could have been said that were worse. You can't expect them to understand."

She was right once again.

"It was just awkward. Let's forget it for now and talk about what you plan to do tomorrow. Don't think I was too busy to just let that slide." He rolled over and put his arm around her. Letting her know he was calm about it rather than worried and angry would hopefully get her to share the plans.

"Alright, this is how it's going to happen…"

**A/N Cliffhanger! Trying to power through some of this stuff so I can finish the story soon :) **


	26. Chapter 26

Hermoine saw the young woman appear behind them out of the corner of her eye. It was just after they had taken the potion and locked up the bodies. The stranger didn't look surprised by what they had been doing, so all Hermoine could do was hope she didn't see. They made their way to the Ministry entrances, which was when they needed to split up. To her horror, the woman followed her into the bathroom entrance.

She seemed oddly familiar. It wasn't the black hair or the very pale skin, and it wasn't the mysterious regality. She was sure she would remember someone so strikingly beautiful. Was it that cold beauty that made Hermione so afraid?

No, it was her eyes. There was something about them that sent chills down her spine. She decided to get out of there quickly, before she found out why.

* * *

><p>Athelina didn't want to be noticed so quickly, but the Granger girl was very perceptive. She played it well enough that it was not obvious she was following her. Hopefully inside the Ministry she would blend in a bit easier.<p>

There were crowds of people everywhere, making following from a distance very difficult. It had certainly changed since the last time she paid a visit.

She stayed in the shadows, not attracting much attention until they were all pushed into the trial room.

Things escalated quickly and she found herself with her wand out. The three were going to expose themselves; it was exactly what she feared. Luckily she had enough time to react as the Death Eaters concealed around the building came out of the shadows.

They pursued the trio out of the room and through the building, curses flying everywhere. She was able to keep up with the tail end of the crowd, using wandless curses to start thinning the herd. By the time Potter reached the floo, only a few followers actually saw them go.

Harry felt something strange hit him just as he reached the fireplace. It sent a cool tingling up his spine, but not in a way that felt like a curse. He would need to do a few spell detectors once they were safely at Grimmauld.

Athelina was glad she remembered the incantation for the tracking spell. It was very old magic, and something few wizards had attempted to master in the last century, but she thought it might be useful to her someday. She only hoped it would work, because one of the Death Eaters managed to slip into the grate and follow them back.

With the commotion no longer focusing on catching Harry Potter, she figured it would be best to get out of there before anyone started to wonder who she was. Curses were still flying at random as she apparated back. She arrived in the office with a thud, barely making it over to the desk before she fainted.

* * *

><p>"Where am I?"<p>

Athelina woke up in a daze, and she couldn't remember what had caused it.

"You're in bed love, you are safe here with me. I came in last night and found you passed out on the desk. Why don't you tell me what you can remember from your trip to the Ministry?"

Ah yes, the Ministry. It all came back.

She recounted the entire tale, but they still couldn't figure out what caused her to faint.

"I'm sure no one hit me with any spells. Perhaps it was just exhaustion or stress? I haven't eaten much lately because I was feeling a bit sick. " She still felt sick, but she didn't want him worrying about her. He still had a school to run.

"Did you have a chance to find out if the tracking spell worked?" He asked, pulling the blankets back up around her.

"Oh no I didn't even get a chance! I need to ask Phineas if they made it back all right! I'll do it now if I can find some parchment…" She went to get out of bed but he pushed her back down.

"Stay in bed and I will get you some. The portrait is not going anywhere so that news can wait until you feel ready."

To her amazement and his overwhelming pride the spell had worked well enough to get a general idea of where the trio had gone.

"They are no longer in London, someone must have found the house after they left. Can you place this exact spot?" The map showed the starting location and a glowing dot in the current location, but many of the features in between were not filled in. She tried a few other incantations to fill in the map. The best they could do was outline the UK, with known areas the trio had visited marked on the map.

"They aren't in a recognizable city. What do you think they are actually planning to do? They've lost their only safe place." She was frantically writing on the map, marking places she knew.

"I believe the time would come when they needed to live on the run, searching for horcruxes and keeping out of the way of Death Eaters. I just hope they are careful enough to stay out of sight. Now I don't want to leave you here but I need to go down for dinner. Here is a Pepperup potion you need to drink before I go. When I come back I will stop by the Hospital Wing and grab a few other potions. Hopefully I will be able to figure out what has been going on with you. Just rest for now, and do not get up! I will tell Phineas to wait until I get back." He kissed her on the top of the head and went back out to do his job.

* * *

><p>"Poppy, I need a few exhaustion potions. Also, do you still have that book of common wizard maladies and cures? I would greatly appreciate it if I could borrow it."<p>

"Yes I have it. Are you ill Headmaster?" She questioned, looking rather suspicious. The two had never exactly seen eye to eye, both preferring their own methods. She never spoke ill of him because he provided her with all her healing potions, but he rarely came and asked for anything in return.

"No but there are a few potion recipes I need to fiddle with to get right, and I want to check my previous work." That would be a good enough save. Truthfully he didn't have time to brew everything he assumed he would need. He didn't want to worry Lina, but he was quite concerned about her health.

He brought the book back into his office and started a list of tests he could perform that indicate illness.

"My boy, where is the lady of the house? I have an update for her and she hasn't come out since I returned." The portrait looked at him accusingly.

"She isn't feeling well so I have confined her to the bed. You may give me the update and I shall relay it to her." Severus was a bit angry that the former Headmaster was more loyal to his wife than to him. He couldn't blame the portrait for being enchanted, and he was grateful for her help in the matter, but they didn't need to exclude him from what technically was his business.

The information wasn't exactly shocking. As much as Snape hoped Potter was smartening up, the boy would be dead if it weren't for Granger. She was the only useful member of that group, and as much as he hated the insufferable girl Snape had her to thank for keeping the entire magical world from utter ruin.

The room was silent, as she had fallen asleep. She looked so peaceful, and a bit of colour had returned to her cheeks. He didn't want to wake her, so he started with a few sensory spells that would simply glow if she had the illness he was trying to detect.

"Oh I'm sorry darling I must have dozed off while working on the map. How did dinner go?" She sat up groggily, noticing that he had his wand out. "What exactly are you doing with that?"

"I'm sorry I didn't want to wake you so I was doing a few small tests. Nothing has come up yet that indicates why you are ill, but now that you are awake we can continue with a few other methods. Dinner was fine and before you ask I've spoken to Phineas and we have nothing to worry about at the moment. Let's just focus on you for a while" He handed her vials, made her recite incantations, and still they got nowhere. He was starting to think it was hopeless when a thought crossed his mind.

_No it can't be. _

He tried one more incantation. His heart stopped as the space around her glowed. Everything suddenly made sense, and he was terrified.

"What is it? What does that mean?" Her face went white again.

He opened his mouth, trying to force out the words. He could see the fear in her eyes.

"You…you're pregnant."


	27. Chapter 27

Terrified. It was the only word that could describe her feelings at that moment. She thought that perhaps she hadn't known real terror until then. There was an actual human growing inside her. Their baby.

Unsure if she should laugh or cry, she chose to just close her eyes for a few minutes and let it sink in. He was in shock or something, since he hadn't spoken since he gave her the news. She couldn't tell if he was pleased or upset, but she wasn't exactly sure how she felt yet either.

"I didn't even think of it. The notion never even crossed my mind, and it should have. Maybe I thought it would never actually happen. I am so sorry." He turned away.

"Sorry? Are you trying to tell me you don't want a family? This is our child Severus!" Now she was crying. It was all hitting her at once.

"No, no love! That isn't what I meant at all! Of course I want a family, but I always hoped it would be in a better, more peaceful time. You have to admit that the life we live now isn't very suitable for raising a child."

"Yes I understand exactly what it's like to grow up in war time, always on the run. I would never want that for my children. However, this baby has two parents who love it very much. I just wish we could leave, run away and never come back. We would start a life somewhere far away from all of this." It was a dream they both had, but sadly it would never happen.

"We both know that as long as I'm in his service we will never get away." He sat beside her. "You still can. When the time comes you can go, somewhere peaceful and quiet. I can set you up with people I know in other countries. Raise the baby in a safe place far away from all the pain."

"You know I can't do that. Don't ever ask me to leave you! I promised I would be here for you and that certainly will not change now! We need to be closer now, and a bit more careful, but this will work." She refused to think of her life without him. She knew he was only thinking of their safety, but this was just one more challenge to add to the pile.

"I only want what's best for you, but if you agree to stay you know that I will protect both of you with my life. I will do everything in my power to make sure you are safe. If we are lucky for once, in 9 months all of this will be over and our world will be a safe place again." He said.

She hoped he was right.

At least it was still quite a ways off. There were many other problems to face in the near future.

Weeks went by without much news of Harry's movements. They watched his progress on the tracking map, but little progress seemed to be made. Severus' stress levels were increasing as students started to get irritable. On one such overly stressful day he decided to head up to a tower and clear his mind.

Athelina sat waiting for him to return. She heard the door shaking, as if something was ramming into it. Was he having trouble getting back in? Normally the door just opened magically for him to get through. There was more than one person in the office, and they were making a lot of noise. Who were they and how did they get in? She transformed and snuck under the door. Feet were everywhere; she had to slip back into the room before she was trampled.

"Where could it be? It has to be in here!" A young girl yelled.

The door slammed shut.

"What exactly would you be looking for in my office Miss Weasley?" He questioned, his voice cold.

"I uh…we were…"

"I caught a few of your friends in the hallway. A bit careless of you to put so many people at risk when you knew you'd be caught. I will inform you of your detention time later in the week. Get out." He sounded very angry. Students broke into his office? What on earth were they trying to find?

He came storming into the bedroom. His eyes were black with rage.

"Some tea, I think?" She conjured up a pot and a few cups. He didn't indicate that tea would help, but he took the cup anyways.

"They were so close. They could have made it in here, or seen the map, and everything would have been ruined. Stupid, stupid children! Now I need to punish them and that is really just weakening the strongest hope our student body has." He rubbed his temple, apparently regaining the stress he was trying to diminish.

"What were they looking for in there? It was Potter's girlfriend, was it not?"

"Yes, I believe they were looking for the sword. They must know Potter was meant to have it. As long as they think it is here I'm sure they will continue to put you in danger by breaking in. I honestly don't care if they manage to steal the sword. What they discover during their attempts may be dangerous." He was worried about her safety. He had a point, if they came through the bedroom door, who knows what they would have done?

They planned it out perfectly. Word that the sword had been moved to Gringotts spread through the wizarding community in a matter of days.

The weather was changing, and winter would be upon them very soon. The plan needed to move. Athelina was discussing the progress with Phineas when he was suddenly called away.

"They are calling me from the other portrait. Perhaps this is a good sign. I shall let you know what they have to say when I return." He vanished, and she wondered whether she could trust the painting not to say too much.

The three heard about the attempted break in. He told them the rest of the story, and also that the hidden sword was a fake. A horcrux was in their possession, so it would be crucial to get the sword to them relatively soon. It just needed to be a time when they could pinpoint their exact location. It was a matter of watching and waiting.

* * *

><p>He could tell her magic was starting to act up. It was likely resulting from the pregnancy. He didn't want to worry her with the details of magical side effects, so he simply tried to keep her from doing magic whenever possible.<p>

December approached, and he allowed the other teachers to begin preparing the castle for Christmas celebrations. He knew spirits were low in the school with the Carrows essentially torturing at will, but this could be a way to lighten their hearts a bit.

He intended to do the same in his own quarters. Athelina was getting a bit depressed, having essentially nothing to do and nowhere to go. He wanted to find her a present. This was a big deal for him, since he had never actually bought a real Christmas present before. It needed to be perfect; something that would lighten her mood, but that she would also find useful while she was cooped up.

There were no magical shops that he could visit without causing suspicion. He chose a busy area of muggle London and began his search.

It was rather frustrating shopping with muggles. They were pushy, loud, and the store people would not leave you alone. Just when he was about to give up, he found it. Tucking his gift inside his robes, he made his way back to the school.

"Ah Severus, there you are! I looked for you all over the school. I did not think you would step out without telling anyone."

"If I wish to step out Amycus, it is nobody's business but my own. What would you like?"

"Well you see it has come to our attention that some of the teachers are not exactly…on board with our new policies. We have found a few of them are not reporting student upsets that are becoming common in the castle. I was going to suggest you remove one of these teachers from their position to teach the others a lesson. " Amycus smiled wickedly, apparently getting ideas about how they would go about teaching lessons to the professors. This would not do. Of course, being the idiot he was, it was probably his sister that noticed the other teachers refusing to report punishments. Alecto was very good at plotting, and Amycus was great at carrying out her plans.

"First of all, you seem to forget who the Headmaster is. If you were meant to control the school, it would be you. The teachers are here to do one thing, and that is to teach. I will not be removing them, and you will go back to doing your job, instead of telling me how to do mine." He wanted to rip the sick freak apart, but that probably wouldn't be good for his position.

"Severus my old friend, it appears all the power has made you soft." He was trying to get a rise out of him. Not a very good trick.

"If you do not get back to your post at once you will find out whether or not I actually have. Just because we both operate on the same side does not mean I cannot think you are a demented and tactless hack." He turned and continued walking to his office, furious that was on the same continent as Amycus Carrow.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N A bit of a light Chapter, and well timed since it is the Christmas season! Enjoy**

Everything was moving much too fast. The students would be leaving for Christmas break the next day. It was optional to stay at the school, but it was doubtful anyone would. Why stay in a place run by the psychopaths trying to find reasons to punish you? Most of the students wanted to be home with their families. Deaths were increasing every day, so any time at home was precious. Athelina predicted only half would actually come back. Severus agreed, and hoped it was for their protection and not anything worse.

She noticed he was getting particularly enthusiastic about Christmas. A few teachers planned to stay, and he gave them permission to set up a feast. If any students did choose to stay at least the school would seem festive.

"Are you going to go down for the feast with the rest of the school?" She asked, secretly hoping they'd be doing something together. She had been trying her hardest to come up with something special to get him for Christmas, and had finally decided on something, but it wasn't quite finished. The last time she celebrated a holiday with family was just before her grandparents died.

"No, I would probably just put a damper on the good mood. Wishing death upon someone isn't exactly in the spirit of things. They need a break from seeing me looming over them anyhow. I was thinking we could make a trip back home and have a real dinner."

He always seemed to know exactly what she wanted. A change of scenery would be wonderful, even just for a day. They were both stressed to the point of illness, and her pregnancy wasn't helping. She hoped they could take a day away from it all and relax.

He was busy making sure the students were sent off without problems. She knew it would probably take him most of the morning. Sneaking some money from her drawer, she pulled a hood over her head and apparated to Diagon Alley. There were a few things she needed if this gift were to turn out right.

The castle looked fantastic with a light dusting of snow. He almost wondered what was wrong with him, because he felt so festive. It might just be the lack of sleep, or the lack of nourishment.

Stress was really starting to get to him. It had been some time since they got any useful information on Potter, and time was ticking. It seemed like Voldemort was hell bent on destroying the very structure and society of wizarding England at this point, and if all those three could do was run they might need to think of a new plan.

Then there was the baby. Lina would never mention it, but she was looking more ill every day. She needed to start eating well, maybe getting some fresh air, but she was only feeding off his stress. It was concerning him, which was part of the reason he wanted to take her home for a day or two. At least when they were there safely she could venture outside for an hour or so. It wasn't healthy to just sit around in a dark room, or pace back and forth in his office. She often conversed with the portraits while he was busy elsewhere in the school, and Dumbledore mentioned how weak she seemed.

There had been a fire in her soul, but the cold winter was slowly dulling it. He only hoped his plans for Christmas would help her rekindle that flame. He was protecting her by keeping her under lock and key, but there was still a role for her to play in all the madness. Whatever that role was, it didn't involve becoming slowly bedridden.

"Minerva, I will be away on other business for the next few days. You are in charge of the remaining students." He hadn't spoken to the matronly witch in weeks, and she almost collapsed from shock when he handed the control over to her. He feared for a moment that he made a mistake. Perhaps she would turn the castle against him, and he would be unable to return.

Albus assured him there was no way to keep him from returning, as he was the rightful Headmaster.

He left early on Christmas Eve to set the house up. While he had never been the type to decorate, it didn't take much to make the dreary home seem a bit more holiday appropriate.

He decided to connect the floo for their travel that afternoon. Apparating didn't seem like the safest way to move a pregnant woman. What Mr. Snape did not realize was that his lovely wife had already discovered this. Her frequent trips to London left her violently ill and in serious pain. She only just managed to pull herself together before he returned and caught her. Any regular person would have given up after the first time, but her determination to complete his gift overpowered her fear of the pain.

* * *

><p>She stepped out of the fireplace and gasped. Everything was glistening and festive. There was even a small tree in the corner of the room. How on earth had he managed to do all this for her?<p>

She often wondered how the world could believe he was such a heartless and cruel man. He had them all convinced quite easily, but he was nothing like the rest of them. The other Death Eaters must have picked up that he wasn't truly evil like them. He was sweet, caring, devoted…all things Voldemort was truly against. She once heard Dumbledore say that her father could not fathom love. Looking at the man in front of her, she saw nothing but the most sincere love in his eyes. It radiated from him.

The fire crackled Christmas morning, as the two sat on the floor beside the tree. Finishing breakfast, Severus sent their dished back into the kitchen. She leaned against his shoulder, feeling truly content.

"I have something for you." He whispered in her ear, pulling out a parcel wrapped in very fancy paper. She was not expecting a gift from him, never mind something that looked so fancy. She couldn't actually remember receiving a gift. As a child her grandparents likely got her small things, but this was exciting. With her hormone levels being the unstable mess that came with pregnancy, she found herself on the verge of tears.

"Just open it before you start crying. I wanted to find you something that would be useful while you were cooped up in the castle."

She ripped off the paper. It was some kind of device she had never seen before. It looked muggle, but she could feel magic emanating from it.

"What does it do?"

"Well, muggles call it a tablet. They use it like some kind of strange changing parchment. You can read books, play games, write, basically anything. I looked into the functions and was able to modify it with a bit of tricky magic. It needs some kind of power but I've charmed it to receive energy from a wand. I've also added a number of books that might be of interest to you. There are some magical and some muggle." He continued explaining the contraption, but she stopped listening and started pressing buttons. It would likely take her months to figure out what everything did.

"Thank you so much! I love it!" She threw her arms around his neck, almost forgetting she had something to give him also.

"While this isn't some magically enhanced muggle contraption, I did create it myself." She gave him a vial with a strange blue substance. It was smoking and frothing, but the scent was calming.

"You made this? I know how much you dislike brewing. I don't recognize this potion…" He studied the vial, assessing what had been put in it.

"Of course you don't, I created it. Many of the ingredients were very hard to come by. I know how stressed you have been lately, but you are so busy you have no time to rest. I combined a variety of potions with a few spells and managed to create this." She spoke so calmly of her achievements, but he looked on with awe as she continued to explain.

The potion served as a temporary mind split. While your body continued to complete whatever task it was undertaking, the conscious part of your mind could escape. It was like a daydream, but it could be controlled, and it was impossible for an outsider to tell you were not paying full attention. It would allow him to get some much-needed relaxation, while still letting him get his job done. An added bonus was not having to deal with the unpleasant people that caused most of his stress.

"You created an entirely new potion…just for me? A potion that releases your mind from your body, but still enables you to go about your daily activities." He stared at her in disbelief. She wasn't sure if he liked it or not. His present for her was brilliant, but this was a lot of work on her part just for his peace of mind.

"Yes, I suppose it's similar to those Daydream Charms you often see floating about the school. I studied a bit of the magic involved in those. It was rather brilliant, but not quite what I needed. It was an entirely different problem finding the necessary magic to control the body. I know I got it right though because…" She looked up to see him smiling at her and stopped rambling.

"However did you find the time to do all this, and where did you even get the ingredients?"

"Oh, you know, here and there". He likely knew she left the castle to get them, but if she didn't actually say it he might not bring it up.

"Clever witch, you truly are a Slytherin. Sneaking about while I'm away, brewing secretly when I'm out. This is absolutely brilliant, and I'm sure it will prove very useful." He was beaming, and pulled her towards him.

She knew when they returned he would be a bit stricter about making sure she stayed in the castle, but there were always ways around him if she needed. As he said, she truly was a Slytherin, and if she wanted something she got it.

It was a wonderful day all around. They had a traditional Christmas dinner, played chess, relaxed, and simply enjoyed being together for the first time in months. The house was lit only by the firelight, and the warmth slowly melted the tension in their faces. Athelina felt sleep coming slowly, but couldn't bring herself to leave the fire.

* * *

><p>Severus woke up in the middle of the night feeling rather uncomfortable. He opened his eyes and noticed they were still in the sitting room, curled up together in front of the fireplace. He slowly got up so he wouldn't disturb her and sat in his chair. Despite being on the floor, it had been one of the best sleeps he had in months.<p>

A familiar ache returned in his chest. It was the feeling that this would never last, just as he had when they were travelling, and after they were married. Now there was a baby on the way, and he just couldn't bring himself to envision what the future would hold for the 3 of them. It was hard enough keeping a woman hidden, never mind an infant.

He suddenly had a very good idea. The room he made Lina was still in the wall. Grabbing his wand from the table, he quietly snuck out to do a bit of redecorating.


	29. Chapter 29

Something felt wrong. She woke up on the floor, the fire slowly dying. Severus was nowhere to be seen, but that didn't feel like the problem.

She couldn't place the sensation, but it felt very ominous. She had to find him; they had to go back.

"Severus, where are you?" She called down the hall.

"What is it? You were sleeping soundly so I didn't wake you." He saw the panic in her eyes. "What's happened?"

"I don't know, but I can tell something is wrong. We need to get back." She summoned their belongings, packing them into a bag. He wasn't moving.

"I'm serious, let's go!" She snapped, grabbing his arm and apparating away, completely forgetting she wasn't supposed to apparate at all.

They landed in his office and she ran for the map. Phineas appeared in his frame when he heard them arrive.

"I have no idea what's happened, but I know exactly where they are. Get the map, now is the perfect time."

Athelina grabbed the sword from behind Dumbledore's portrait. She was intent on delivering it herself if need be, but Severus grabbed her arm.

"YOU are going to stay exactly where you are. Don't think I haven't realized what you are up to my darling. The thought was practically written on your face. I will go and deliver…argh!" He grabbed his arm in pain.

She could barely hide the smirk.

"Change of plans I suppose? Needed elsewhere? Well I guess I will just have to go do this little job for you." She pulled her arm away from his grasp.

"Think again, I need to go but you are still staying put. I will leave the sword there on my way to Malfoy Manor. Dumbldore, make sure she doesn't leave the castle." He took the sword and the map, preparing to apparate.

"Severus, do not forget that the children must not see you. You will need another way to lead them to the sword." The painting reminded him as he left.

Athelina looked around thoughtfully, trying to find the best way to escape.

"Well, I suppose I'll just go sit in my room and stare at the wall." She knew that wasn't going to work, but she tried anyways.

"Take a seat dear, this might be a long evening."

* * *

><p>Severus never expected to be able to modify the form of his patronus. He hadn't even thought it would have changed in the past year, having no real reason to conjure it. Expecting the doe to appear before him, he was greeted instead by a rather small and familiar looking serpent.<p>

_This won't do at all. How will they see it, or know it is trustworthy? I need a way to change it back._

He needed to think fast. Resisting the summons was causing serious pain, and he would find it nearly impossible to create a patronus of any sort. It was a gamble, but he hoped focusing on happy memories of Lily would cause his old patronus to return.

The happiness felt like more of an echo, and the glimmering doe reflected that. It was not as powerful as it should be, but it would do the job.

Voldemort made no mention of the fact that Snape was late. He was angry, very angry indeed.

Apparently Potter was foolish enough to return to Godric's Hollow and fell right into a trap. How the boy constantly managed to escape was beyond him. It was as if he didn't even realize how often he escaped death.

How long would it be until they discovered the sword? He didn't know how long his patronus would stay there, since it was so weak.

Voldemort was going on about some wand nonsense. How he would find the most powerful wand, following a trail of wandmakers, it all seemed like complete rubbish. This was an entirely new level of insanity in Snape's opinion. Maybe the man had finally cracked. It did not even have any connection to the plans, as far as he could tell.

He stopped listening to the rambling after a while. This would have been a wonderful time for his Christmas present, but since he left it at home he opted for imagining Voldemort's reaction to Snape being the father of his grandchild. It was slightly amusing, but also rather disturbing.

"I am sure that someone within the castle has knowledge in these matters. After all, a wand so powerful would have left its mark on history. I will require you to look into it and report back to me as soon as possible. Since running the school is keeping you from the tasks assigned to all the others, I am certain you will not mind the added responsibility." The tone Voldemort used was almost mocking, as if implying that giving him research was a kindness to keep him from boredom. He felt like a student being given extra homework; pointless homework, at that.

"Of course my lord, I will certainly look into it. However, it seems these accounts were never taken to be anything more than myth. I doubt I will find many people who treat it in any other way." The cold eyes of the madman looked at him for a long time, assessing whether to lash out in response to his comment. Perhaps as a testament to how unstable the creature was becoming, he simply chose to turn and walk away.

"I expect results in the next few weeks. You are dismissed."

Dismissed, ha. This was utterly ridiculous. Here he was, rapidly gaining control of the entire United Kingdom, and the psychotic lunatic was off chasing objects that didn't even exist.

He supposed it was for the better, since this proved an excellent distraction, he just wished it didn't have to involve him.

Preparing to apparate back, he thought momentarily of what awaited him. Had the children discovered the sword? Did Athelina manage to listen and stay where she was?

The office was far too quiet on his return. He entered the private quarters to find her on the bed, still fully clothed and looking even paler than before. Obviously she had disobeyed his wishes and gone to check up on Potter, but he did not need to bother with that at the moment. She needed some serious healing.

* * *

><p>Athelina awoke the next morning, head pounding and feeling very weak. A tray of breakfast sat waiting for her beside the bed.<p>

Severus was in a heated debate with the portraits. She could hear the entire conversation through the door. While she missed the beginning, it was something involving powerful wands. That got her attention.

"If he searches for the Elder Wand he does not fully understand what he seeks. The quest to possess the Hallows has destroyed many a wizard. It could turn a man mad, so who knows what it would do to a man that already is?" Dumbledore's voice expressed interest. Severus, however, seemed more angry than intrigued.

"This is just a frivolous waste of my already limited time. There is no such thing as the Deathly Hallows, and I have no intention of researching their whereabouts. I never though you to be the type that would take these things seriously Albus."

"My lad, as wizards we should realize few things are truly impossible. I never doubted anything, I simply approached everything with caution."

The Deathly Hallows…what did that even mean? She reached for her tablet, hoping one of the books might hold an answer.

The office door slammed, probably meaning Severus had walked out in a huff. She assumed this wasn't something he wanted to discuss anyways. It was better if she kept her curiosity to herself.

Still getting used to the strange keys on the contraption, she finally managed to type her query into the little search box. The results were overwhelming. She didn't even know she had that many books on this thing, but apparently there were enough to give her a days worth of reading.

It was all very intriguing. She could see how the idea of mastering death had tempted wizards over the centuries.

Each of the objects spoke to her desires in a different way. The power, the invisibility, the ability to call back the dead; if she were to possess the Hallows she would be able to avenge her family. No longer locked up and powerless, everyone would remember who she was,what she had done.

The more she read, the more her thoughts turned to dark deeds and methods of revenge. The stories preyed on her weaknesses, up to the point where she would have dropped everything and started the search. Luckily, Severus chose that moment to return.

"I see you are awake. Would you mind telling me what pressing business caused you to disobey my wishes and risk your life running about? I assume it was something horribly important that could not wait until I returned." The tone of displeasure snapped her out of the rash decision-making frenzy she had worked herself into. He was giving her the look reserved for troublesome students.

Once a teacher, always a teacher, she supposed.

"Nice to see you too, darling. I trust your meeting went well?" She gave him her best innocent smile.

"Do not try to play games with me. I know you left yesterday, after I made you promise to stay. Where did you go, and why?"

"Fine, fine, I went to check up on the sword. I was rather worried they would not find it, or you wouldn't get it there in time. Honestly, I was also a bit curious about the destroying of the horcrux. So I waited for a while after you were gone, and I took off."

His brows creased, and she was shocked he had refrained from yelling. She continued.

"I found where you put it, arrived just in time to watch them pull it out. Very fascinating. They destroyed it, but it seemed a rather messy business. I'm shocked no one else heard all the noise it made."

How he convinced himself she would actually stay was beyond her. It must have been obvious she wanted to go and see it for herself.

"So you just stood around and watched while they destroyed the locket and nobody happened to see you?" His anger was slowly becoming curiosity.

"Well obviously not. I showed up a ways away from where they had camp set up, and cast a disillusionment charm on myself as soon as I materialized. However, the ground was covered in snow and my footprints were visible. I also feared…"

"Wait, you can perform the disillusionment charm?" He interrupted.

"Yes I can, now listen to the rest before asking questions. I feared running into their wards, so I chose to cast a thermal spell over my body and transformed. That kept me from my usual serpent-related drawback, and I was able to slip through their wards undetected. I watched them leave and changed back, but all the magic took a toll on my body which is why you found me in such a state."

For a moment or two his expression changed. He looked more amazed than angry, perhaps shocked that she could perform magic he had never taught her with such ease.

"I wont say I did not wonder whether they received the sword, but I am still unhappy with your blatant disregard for your own health. Never mind the apparating being bad for you, I'm sure the spells and transformations are not great for the baby. In the future I would only ask that you think of that."

The guilt did sting a bit. She was worried about keeping the baby safe, and the biggest danger to it seemed to be her own carelessness. She decided not to make a big deal of it and change the subject back to what she wanted to hear.

"You are right, I just got caught up in everything and didn't enjoy being left behind. Now tell me what you were summoned for."

"Oh it was nothing of any real importance. Some nonsense about the Elder Wand and finally being able to overpower Potter. It was a pointless summons really. Although apparently Potter and Granger nearly escaped him the other night, walked right into his trap."

"The Elder Wand, you say? That sounds interesting. " She was trying hard not to seem eager, but she wanted him to elaborate.

"Yes, part of the Deathly Hallows, an imaginary trio of objects that would allow the owner to master death. I didn't think anyone still thought they existed, but apparently even Dumbledore was tempted by the idea in his time. It just frustrates me that his insanity is seeping into my everyday life. Now he wants me to start researching this for him, and it is a complete waste of my time."

* * *

><p>He looked at her and saw something brighten in her eyes. It was interest. That flame he was worried she was losing came back in full force.<p>

Severus realized in that instant how incredibly powerful she really was.

It started with her account of the spells she used in the forest. The magic she was able to teach herself, performing it without a hitch, was truly remarkable. He always knew she was talented, but her lineage pointed to her natural abilities all along.

She was destined for power. Had Olivander not said that when bringing her wand?

If she wanted to, she could easily overpower many of the wizards that currently thought themselves talented. He would never let her know it, but there was something to be feared about her.

Her history was certainly grounds for becoming a dark witch, had she chosen that path. Revenge and hatred fueled her ambition, and that frightened him. He trusted her, but was always wary she would do something rash. One wrong move and she could go overboard.

She was deep in thought, and he took the time to really look at her. She was beautiful, he always knew that; her face was the picture of cool, calculating regality. She was slim, yet very muscular for someone who was confined to a room most of the time. Perhaps it was necessary to be in shape when surviving as a snake.

Survival – that was the flame he saw in her eyes the first time he met her. When she finally felt safe with him, the flame disappeared. It was back now, but for some other purpose he wasn't aware of.

Knowing what she did in her spare time, it likely had something to do with new spells she planned to master so she could take on her father. He really needed to watch what she was reading.

She sighed and leaned back on the pillow, obviously still exhausted from the strain she put on her body. When her eyes were closed she looked so vulnerable. He got up and went back into the office so she could get some rest.

"How is she feeling?" Albus asked when he walked out. The portrait likely felt bad for allowing her to go, but honestly there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"Tired, I suppose, but she will be fine; inquisitive as ever. I'm worried I gave her some kind of idea when I was telling her about the Hallows. How can I be expected to protect her when she insists on fluttering about whenever she pleases?"

The portrait smiled thoughtfully, eyes glinting the same way they did when Albus was alive. It made Severus uncomfortable.

"Perhaps, Severus, you are focusing on the wrong thing. You are trying so hard to keep her from harm, but you forget how capable she is of doing that herself. After all, she spent nearly 18 years keeping herself alive against all odds. That was before she honed her magical skills and became one of the most powerful witches I have seen in quite some time."

Dumbledore must have seen the uncertainty on his face.

"Come now my boy, surely you know this. Your task was always to teach her and to keep her hidden. You have successfully done both of those things over the past year and a half, but your focus shifted when your feelings got involved. I'm not saying it isn't honorable to want to protect her, I am simply trying to remind you that she isn't as fragile as you think."

He was right, as always. The woman certainly was capable of looking out for herself. He just wanted her to have a life that was not controlled by fear, where she did not have to hide from others… he did not want her to have his life.

He entered the room and looked at her again, fast asleep. She was perfect, and he would do anything for her.

The change in perspective gave him new focus. He was finished trying to control her life just to keep her safe. Her life would not be easier unless the world was safe for her to live in. He would work his hardest to ensure Potter did his job, anything it took, so her and the baby could experience the full life they deserved.

**A/N slowly making my way towards the end! Only a few chapters to go (hopefully) **


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N well this took me a long time. I had no idea where I was going with this chapter, but I finally figured out the path that will slowly take us to the conclusion. Not much longer now :) enjoy**

The portrait had all the information she would need; it was just a matter of getting him to talk. Word could not get back to Severus about her interest in the Hallows. Putting on her most convincingly innocent expression, she walked out of the room and sat in the office chair.

"I have been expecting a visit from you, Mrs. Snape. Your curiosity is something I am actually quite familiar with."

"Familiar in what way, if I may ask?" It disturbed her that she was so predictable.

"Firstly, you strolled out trying to seem very casual, when I know you most certainly have a purpose. Secondly, I was a teacher for many, many years. I have had every type of inquiry posed on me, and I was never taken by surprise. Finally, I know what it is you have heard, and I fully understand why it has intrigued you. As I'm sure your husband not so politely mentioned, I myself was tempted for many years by the Deathly Hallows. Any great wizard with powerful desires gravitates to them in time." The sparkle never left the painting's eyes. How was it that they could still be so perceptive? She found herself constantly irritated by how correct he was. If she knew her husband's feelings on the matter, she would realize she wasn't the only one.

"Fine, yes I'll just go ahead and admit it then. I've been rather curious, and locked in that room confined to my bed has given me quite a bit of time to research. Since I'm in no fit state to be wandering about searching for relics I was hoping you could give me some insight into whether they were real. Are they actually possible to find?"

Dumbledore chuckled. The girl certainly had fire. It was a bit of a concern for poor Severus. He saw that fire and the family history associated and worried she would do something rash one of these days.

"Well I think it best just to tell you there is no point trying to search for them at the moment. Perhaps, in the future, I can tell you more."

Oh. Well that was rather unexpected. Here she thought he would be thrilled to share his knowledge with someone else who believed in his fanciful quest.

"There is nothing else you can tell me? Even just to quench my burning curiosity? Not the tiniest of hints as to whether any of them have even been found?" Grasping for at least something interesting to take war off her mind, she continued to plead until the painting finally gave in.

"Fine, fine you impossible woman. I certainly see some of the Slytherin will in you when it comes to getting what you want. Yes, I do know the location of some of the Hallows; at least, I did when I died. You are mistaken, however, to think that the war is not connected to them in any way. This is why I cannot tell you more about their location. In the end I think you will understand the role they need to play. The power to defeat death does not have to mean living forever. You never know the way ancient magic shows itself. Magic always likes to think outside the box. Besides, true power comes from within. I have seen more raw power in you than anyone else for generations, perhaps since your father walked these halls. The real difference between the two of you is how you use it."

She sat and thought about his statement for quite some time. Power; was it really the one thing she desired? Perhaps deep down it was the power to overthrow Voldemort, to prove that everything he tried to destroy was for naught. The other part was to prove that something truly good could come from his hate. Maybe this is what Dumbledore meant by how she used her magic?

If she was as powerful as they kept saying she would be out there using it now.

Even her plans to occupy her mind were being thwarted by the turmoil of the outside world. If she made it through with her sanity intact it would truly be magic.

* * *

><p>Severus had spent most of the day patrolling the halls. He had been right in assuming many students would not return after the holidays, but the ones that did were pushing even more boundaries.<p>

It took a fair bit of effort on his part to keep these students in check. The Carrows were out in full force, and their punishments were becoming increasingly severe. He heard whispers in the halls that they were teaching unforgivable curses to students, and permitting them to perform them on others. It was disturbing.

If he managed to catch the rule breakers before anyone else did, he could warn them and send them on their way. However, this meant he spent most of his free time staying two steps ahead of the sick freaks that had all but taken over his school. Any attempt at stopping them and Voldemort was sure to hear about it.

That was the last thing he needed right now. He managed to keep the Dark Lord off his back with the occasional report on Elder Wand "research". Dumbledore's portrait had been feeding enough drivel to keep it up for weeks.

"Miss Robins, I suggest you return to your common room. It is getting too late for students to be wandering the halls." The girl was wandering about the 7th floor corridor, likely cooking up some kind of trouble. Gryffindors always were. The girl jumped, before scurrying off to her tower.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized how few students he actually saw around the school grounds. Were they not going to their classes? Had that many actually stayed home?

The portraits would certainly know what was going on. They saw everything.

Climbing the stairs to his office, he was surprised to hear voices. He got to the door and stopped to listen.

He heard the entire conversation play out. She had hoped to search out the Deathly Hallows, but for what purpose? He could never ask her, or she would know he had been listening. Hopefully Dumbledore's words would put her off such silly notions. He understood that it was hard for her to be inactive, but with her fragile health it was in her best interest to stay put. The fact that she thought something so wild and dangerous was a worthwhile pursuit was actually quite upsetting to him. Was she not happy to simply be alive and with him at the time?

Slowly, he opened the door and walked in, startling her from her thoughts. She turned to face him, wide eyed, as if she were a child caught in a lie.

"Oh hello darling, nice to see you up and about." It was almost alarming how easily he could hide his displeasure, so she would not figure out he had overheard.

He turned quickly, barely giving her time to look shocked at his overly composed greeting. If she was going to plot nonsense behind his back she deserved a bit of his cold shoulder.

Her attitude as of late reminded him of the times when she was still his student, and how very childish she could be when the mood hit. Not that he was always a saint, but for a woman who prided herself on her strong-headed independence, she didn't always show it. Sometimes she just didn't think her whims through.

Pulling himself back to the present, he caught the attention of the portraits currently in their frames.

"I would like any information you have regarding current movements of the students. Very few of them seem to be in the halls, and I was not aware that many remained at home after the holidays." He folded his arms across his chest, trying not to seem too concerned. He didn't want rumors spreading that he actually cared about all the pesky children. He cared about the future of the wizarding society, and the world his child would grow up in, and that meant keeping the future of magic out of the way of the psychotic.

"Is it not the job of the Headmaster to ensure the students are safe? I believe knowing where they are is an important part of that." Phineas had been significantly nastier towards him lately. It probably had something to do with his other portrait being trekked across the country, but that certainly wasn't Snape's fault. Yes, he was taking advantage of him a bit, but so was Lina. The portrait was still rather infatuated with her.

"The well being of the school and those in it is my very highest priority Phineas, although you may not think so. That is why when I noticed something strange afoot I came straight to those who ought to be counseling me. You see everything that goes on, so what are they up to?"

"Well, since you asked so politely I think someone else is best suited to answer your questions." Phineas left his frame in a huff. The other portraits all started chattering at once.

"I've seen the Slytherins sneaking about the dungeons with the Carrows…they are certainly up to something nasty."

"I heard they were practicing spells on other students for no reason at all"

"The other houses are hiding in their common rooms whenever they can."

"They have been hiding somewhere, but it certainly isn't the common rooms. Barnabus says he sees groups of them coming and going. Recons they found a safe passage out of the school altogether."

"**Ahem"**

A cough came from Dumbledore, silencing the others.

"I am sure you notice that there is no clear answer. However, I do believe you were given a clue. Students are seen on the 7th floor corridor, constantly coming and going. Perhaps they have found a place where they can safely hide from the Carrows?"

Severus scowled. He hated these little games. If the portrait knew something he should just say it.

"Well obviously I do not know where this place is, or I would not be asking you. Now would you and the other paintings like to help me out, or should I begin re-evaluating your usefulness in this school." He sat in one of the visitor chairs and crossed his arms. This was a serious issue, and it needed to be resolved. He was, first and foremost, Headmaster of this school. Just as Phineas had so rudely pointed out, they were his greatest responsibility.

The forgotten body in the room stirred from her chair and raced into their private quarters.

_That was odd._

Was she upset by something he said? Was she feeling ill again?

Moments later she returned, her tablet in hand, furiously tapping away.

"That's it! I've found it!" She shouted, grabbing his arm.

"I knew it all sounded a bit familiar. A room in the castle that is unplottable. Located on the 7th floor, it transforms into whatever the user needs. Is this where they are hiding, Albus?"

He should have been proud that she figured it out, but he was just too irritated. Of course there was a room in the castle no one else seemed to know about. As he pondered the existence of such a room it dawned on him – this was the exact room Draco had used to let the Death Eaters into the school a year ago. If it could be used for that, who knew what sort of danger it posed with reckless teenagers using it as a clubhouse. He needed to get in there and find out what was going on.

"I need to get in there and find out what is going on." He stood up, as if he were to go right then and there.

"I do not think you will be able to get in. They are very clever with how they use the room. I am sure there are specifications when they open it not allowing Death Eaters and certain others access. And before you ask, there are no paintings inside."

Defeated, Severus sat back down.

"We will think of something dear. It cannot be impenetrable." She grabbed his hand and pulled him up from the chair. He could see the wheels turning in her head, analyzing every fact to find the weak point.

Thinking back to the conversation he overheard, he pondered Dumbledore's comment about magic acting outside the box. It was something Athelina understood very well, and she could manipulate it. If anyone could think of a way into that room, it was his wife.

* * *

><p>She had asked for something to occupy herself with, and her wish had been granted. Finding a way into a magical room sealed to prevent anyone from finding those inside was certainly a mental exercise.<p>

Books were piled precariously on the desk, and she was barely visible behind them all. Spell after spell, potion after potion. Was there a magical item, or a way to trick a student into spilling the information?

Severus was out patrolling the halls again. She warned him to stay away from the 7th floor, so as not to arise suspicion, but he likely wouldn't listen. If only there were a way to make him invisible.

That was it. It was not a way to get in, but it would certainly allow them to watch. She began practicing for short periods of time, strengthening her magic for the difficult task ahead of her.


	31. Chapter 31

It had taken a week of non-stop practice, but her disillusionment spell was stronger than any Severus had seen. She felt quite proud of that, but she was also exhausted.

Unfortunately, the work had only just begun.

This would be the first time she walked the halls of Hogwarts with her own feet. They ran through the plan multiple times. He would start his usual rounds, her following close behind, until they reached the 7th floor. She was to stay in the corridor, keeping a close watch on all activity, until he returned on his second sweep of the halls. It would likely be around 4 hours from start to finish, which they decided would be a safe length for her to use the charm. Any longer and it would be too draining on her body.

She repeated the motion that had become second nature to her at this point, twirling her wand about her body as she slowly blended in with her surroundings. It was something she would never really be used to. When you look down at yourself you expected to see a body.

"Alright, I suppose we are ready to leave. Remember, stay close, keep to the walls, and do not make any noises. We cannot attract any unwanted attention."

"Yes, I think I can handle it. I'll just stay behind you then, and no one will run into me."

This was much more difficult than she anticipated. Everything caught her eye, and she found her body wandering left and right as she tried to take it all in. After several close encounters, she decided it was best to just grab hold of his robes and not let go.

They finally arrived on the 7th floor, where she was to be stationed for guard duty. He gave his head a brief nod, to indicate that he was going. It was eerily quiet as she paced back and forth, staying close to the walls.

There she stood, watching, listening, and making sure to catch everything that went on before he came to collect her.

...

Each day she returned: sometimes in the morning, sometimes the afternoon, and occasionally late in the evening. Upon returning to the office, they would pull out the pensieve and watch the entire stretch again. It was much easier to notice the patterns, and Severus could put names to the faces.

They compiled a list of all the students who went in and out, making note of the frequency and time of day.

As the days went by, she noticed that she wasn't the only one keeping a close watch on the corridor. The bodies, sneaking in and out of the shadows, likely thought no one would ever notice them. There were about 4 or 5 that she had seen, doing exactly what she was doing, but certainly not for the same reason. Severus had confirmed that they were Slytherin students, and their intent was likely very malicious.

A week after she had started her watch, one of the Slytherins made a very big mistake.

Just after dinner, students would start showing up in groups of two. An hour later they would switch to only one at a time. As a young girl prepared to enter through the secret door, she was grabbed and pulled back into a deserted hall.

Athelina panicked. Severus wouldn't be back for another hour. Not knowing what else to do, she followed the students into the darkened hallway.

"No one can hear us, and no one knows we are here. Now I want you to tell me exactly what you are doing in there, and exactly how I can get in. Is it Potter? Are you all communicating with him?" The young man had a hood pulled over his head, his voice low and menacing. He had the young girl by the neck, pushing her against the wall.

"I… I wont tell you anything!" She stuttered, obviously terrified.

"Well that is a mistake. You obviously don't know what I'm capable of… _CRUCI—" _

He never got the rest of the spell out, because he fell to the ground, stunned.

The young girl's mouth hung open as she slid to the floor in shock.

Athelina returned to the hall before the girl was able to get up and tell someone what happened. A few other students came out of the room, looking for her, and helped her drag the body offender to another hall before he woke up. An older boy obliviated him, just for good measure. Faintly, Athelina could hear the young girl saying again and again that she didn't see anyone else who could have done it.

"It had to have been wordless magic, I didn't even hear a spell!"

"I believe you, I'm just concerned that he wasn't the only Slytherin lurking about." The boy scanned the hall before guiding her back into the room.

He was right, on several levels. There were still a handful of Slytherin students to look out for, but there was another Slytherin who would do her best to ensure their safety.

The stunned boy never returned, and his friends were increasingly careful the days following the incident. Severus warned Athelina to watch them closely. They were momentarily afraid, but they were also capable of using unforgivable curses.

She tried her best to divert their attention, keeping them away from the other students. So far there had been no other incidents. However, with all the hard work, they were no closer to understanding what was actually going on in the room.

It had gotten to the point where she could predict the movements of the students down to a few minutes. What was the point in standing around watching now, unless she developed some kind of plan to gain new information? She began venturing closer, testing the waters, trying to get a glimpse inside.

In the middle of the night she jolted awake. A realization hit: they sealed the room to keep unwanted people out, but she technically didn't exist in their minds. Wouldn't the room realize she was there to help and protect them? All she needed to do was figure out a way to sneak in.

...

"Well? Do you think it will work?" It was the next morning, and she decided her best move was to inform her husband of her possible solution to the problem.

"Hmm." He stared at her, his face emotionless. Sometimes he just couldn't let his protectiveness go so she could do her job. Yeah ok, she was pregnant and that made her a little fragile, but she was infiltrating the hiding place of children… children who happened to be on their side.

"I certainly see your point. You would not be someone their protective measures expect, and you are in no way intending harm. The only problem would be getting in and out. If anything goes wrong you know I will not be able to help you, and there is no telling what they will do."

Smiling, she ran over to give him a hug. She had become rather attached to these students. She knew little about them, but after weeks of watching them come and go they wormed their way into her heart as her mothering instincts were beginning to kick in. Anything she could do to make sure they were safe, and not doing anything potentially harmful, would feel like a victory.

"Don't worry, if I time it perfectly I can go in during a time when there aren't many students still in the room. Then I can sneak out when someone leaves. If the first test goes well, maybe I can get the room to recognize me on my own."

Looking over their many notes and schedules, they finally determined the best time for her to attempt entering the room. Just before dinner there was a large flourish of activity, as students all left in a hurry. They would leave a handful of students in the room to watch, and would come back one by one over the course of 2 or 3 hours. The first students to come back would then allow those who had remained behind to leave for dinner. If she managed to get in with the first student back, she could leave with the last student who had stayed behind. This ensured there would be few students in the room for her to accidentally bump into.

He dropped her off at the same place, turning to give her one last meaningful look. He was worried, but there was really no way around this. It wasn't the most risky thing she had done.

Of course, she was nervous. If something did go wrong, she didn't want to have to harm the kids for her own protection.

They began filing out in small groups, heading down for dinner laughing and chatting. She paced back and forth.

Footsteps echoed around the corner. Hopefully it was two students returning; trying to get into the room behind one person would be tricky.

A young male and female came into sight, laughing and chatting, seemingly carefree. It was heartbreaking that so many young children felt the need to hide in a school that should have been a safe haven for all of them.

She moved over to where the door would appear, hoping this would be her opportunity. It needed to be timed just right.

The boy walked by three times, waited for the door, then pulled it open to allow the girl to step in. Athelina made her move, barely sneaking in between the two.

It was exactly how she would want a hidden sanctuary to be. Luckily the place was mostly empty, and she was free to roam around and explore. It seemed fairly innocent really, like they were simply using it as a place to hide out. She moved closer to the students who were standing in the corner so she could finally hear what they were really up to in here.

"Did a few more students come in? There are more beds than when I left this morning." An older boy was speaking. Apparently the room expanded as more students came.

"Yeah, a few more Hufflepuffs who finally had enough of the punishments. It is getting absolutely crazy. Have you been able to get Potterwatch lately?" The girl was fiddling with some kind of radio, trying to find a station amidst the static.

"Nothing since the day they let slip that Harry had escaped Malfoy Manor. I don't think anyone else has heard news. Maybe Neville has heard something on one of his food runs?"

"You would think he would tell everyone. I guess they don't want too many people talking about it. Unfriendly ears are always listening outside this room. Thankfully there haven't been as many Slytherins sneaking about in the corridor."

More students started coming in, and it was harder for her to pick up on single conversations without getting in the way. She shuffled towards the door, hoping to find her chance to get out. It was certainly helpful to know they were not up to anything dangerous. It was actually rather brilliant. She almost wished she could be a part of it all.

In a way she was, but not in such a friendly and motivating group.

The question of food crossed her mind. The boy's comment stuck in her head. Somehow, they were getting out of the room to find food. Did the room provide a safe way out of the school, as Severus expected? She would need to keep coming back in order to find out more. Now that they knew she could get in, finding times to come back would be easy.

Back in the Headmaster's office, they pondered the conversations she had overheard. It was comforting to know they were taking care of each other. It put her mind at ease. They were also a useful source of information, since they seemed to know classified information about Harry Potter that Voldemort had only just let Severus in on.

It was a near miss, and had created quite a bit of tension. The boy had been silent lately, but Phineas assumed he was simply waiting patiently until some of the uproar had died down since his escape.

"We can at least agree that there should be movement at any moment." Severus was anxious for news. He knew Voldemort was searching tirelessly, and there had been a few too many near misses.

"Yes dear, they have been idle far too long. I will continue visiting the room in case the students somehow know before we do. Honestly, it all comes down to how Potter decides to end this. Who can say how many horcruxes they have found, and where the rest will be? You said yourself that he has no idea they are going after them." Hopefully she was right, and he would remain blind to the plan until the final moment. It was what they were counting on.

* * *

><p>Voldemort sat stiffly in the Malfoy Manor parlor. He finally had a bit of time to sit and think, now that Lucius and his family were too cowardly to show their faces unless absolutely necessary. Their obsession with family was something he just could not understand. Were they honestly willing to give up a chance at power because of their sniveling little son?<p>

He could understand the need to continue the family legacy; it was an important part of being a pureblood wizard. He just couldn't fathom the attachment that took hold when a child was born. Affection made them so weak.

The wand twirling in his hands sent out a spark. Here was a symbol of true power: the Deathstick, as some called it. This was his key to success.

He also intended to ensure his legacy continued forever. As the last remaining Slytherin, it was very important to keep his magical blood going. However, he had no desire to produce a worthless heir, as was the only hope of lesser wizards. He couldn't ever remember a woman he thought worthy to give him one. There may have been one or two many years ago, but why bother with children when one could simply live forever?

His only obstacle was Harry Potter, and with this all-powerful wand, the Boy Who Lived would be nothing more than a puddle on the floor. No one else was capable of defeating him. Who else would dare stand in his way?

**A/N - Finally we have the next chapter! If all goes to plan there will only be 2 more plus an epilogue. I've had them written for several months now, I just need to add a bit to the beginning so I can blend them together :) **


	32. Chapter 32

"What's going on? What's all the commotion about?" Students were yelling, there was too much chatter to hear what was actually happening. Athelina had only been in the hideout a few minutes but she had already been nearly run over at least a dozen times.

All they knew for sure was that Potter had successfully broken into Gringotts earlier that day. Severus sent her to the room immediately, because he knew Voldemort was preparing for war.

He had finally caught on, and for some reason assumed Potter would be making contact with the school.

"Aberforth says they arrived in Hogsmeade! He is going to try to bring them in the pub, away from the snatchers." The place was in an uproar. They knew a fight was coming. If Potter came into the school it would mean the final battle.

The portrait of the young girl motioned for Neville to enter the passageway. She needed to get back and warn Severus. They were all so preoccupied they never even noticed the door open as she went out.

* * *

><p>"You mean to say he is in the village at this very moment? This is bad Lina, I haven't had enough time to prepare the school. The Dark Lord will be here at any moment and I will be called to him." He was normally very collected under stress, but now he was panicking.<p>

This was not supposed to happen.

He always hoped the final battle would take place far away from Hogwarts, far away from any place or anyone he needed to keep safe.

If the school was under attack he could not promise Lina her safety. He could not even ensure his own.

"You have perceptions to keep up, Severus. Do not forget to play the part until the end. I know where your concerns lie, but that does not mean you can sacrifice everything else we have worked for." Easy for the old painting to say, he was already dead.

He sent a message to rally the students in the Great Hall. Potter was probably here by now, or he would be shortly, and he needed to make the first move.

"I need to go muster the students. I will return here when I have determined the situation, and we can decide what to do from there. Do not let anyone in this office." He could just take her and run. It always seemed like it would come down to running in the end.

Let Potter and the rest of them sort it out. It wasn't their battle anymore.

Except he forgot one little thing.

"Do not leave me here Severus Snape. First of all, what if you cannot come back and I am trapped in here forever? Secondly, this is my battle. It is mine even more than it is yours. I know circumstances have changed since the day you took me in, but it was always my intention to be a part of it. I've done my little bits to keep myself busy, but I will certainly not be hiding from this moment. If I can't be there when my father dies then I will certainly be standing tall when our world crumbles." She stood between him and the door.

The look in her eyes startled him. They were not the sweet but slightly fiery eyes he was accustomed to, and he feared her a bit in that moment.

Dumbledore had warned him before that her power was not something to stand in the way of. She had strong magic in her blood.

He knew she wanted a fight, but he hoped with the current circumstances she would at least agree to wait until most of the fighting was over.

He had a sinking feeling in his chest as she crawled into his sleeve; a feeling that he might never feel her wrap around his arm like that again. It broke his heart a little, and he could not understand why.

* * *

><p>She sat by him, just holding on to him, clinging to the sound of his breath.<p>

It had all happened much too fast. They were in the Great Hall, Potter came in, spells, apparition, the snake.

She could feel the tears burning her cheeks as she tried not to sob. No one could know she was here…not yet.

Looking into his eyes she could see his pain. He tried to speak.

"Don't…don't do anything rash. I know you want a battle but" he gasped, his breath raspy, "it isn't about your need for revenge anymore. This was all to keep you safe. Think of yourself please…think of the baby. Our baby." She wanted to block out his voice. She wanted to take them away from this place, somewhere safe where he would survive.

"Please don't say that. You can't do this, you can't…you can't leave me." She wiped the blood from his face tenderly. So much blood. It was all over her. The smell of it was making her ill. So was the pain.

"I love you. Promise me." He whispered.

She heard the footsteps and barely managed to change before Potter and the others came in. She couldn't even hear what was going on between them. She could only lean into his body heat with her shaking reptilian form.

She waited for the others to leave before she changed back.

She could hardly get herself to return to her human form, partially because it was difficult with the baby, partially because it took too much effort in her emotional state.

She didn't want to believe he was gone. She sat for what seemed like an age, just holding his hand, sobbing silently. She didn't want to go on like this, in a world without him.

He was her everything. She should just die here beside him before anyone else could find her.

She had to stop those thoughts. She had a new reason to live. Wasn't this what he had worked so hard for all this time? Her freedom? The chance for the baby to be born in a world without evil?

Yes, it meant losing him, but she knew she had to come to terms with that if she wanted to get out there and fight.

"I will return to you, my love. I promise you that, but I cannot promise to stay out of the battle. You need to understand that this is my moment. It's for us. To prove this was worth it."

The rage was building, mixing with the unfathomable sorrow. It all came surging back as she prepared for what might be the last battle.

She saw their faces and it was what enabled her to leave his body and turn away: her mother, her grandparents, Dumbledore, and finally Severus. These were the people who fought to keep her alive for this final purpose.

She stood tall and wiped away her tears. There would be time to mourn properly when the score had been settled.

She felt bad betraying his last request. He didn't want to risk the baby by letting her into the battle, but she knew there was a part for her to play in all of this. He must have known she would go, even if he told her not to. Every time he asked her to stay behind, even though he knew she would refuse.

She had a plan, but it needed perfect timing. She would sit idly by, watching what Potter did until the time was right.

Her magic was strong, stronger than the others. Dumbledore knew it, they would know it only too late.

She would do whatever she needed to.

_Even kill? _Her conscience asked.

_Yes, even kill._

The fighting had stopped for the moment, but she knew it wouldn't last long. She cast a few protective spells over the castle, and the disillusionment charm over herself. The teachers would be protecting the school, but a little bit of her own magic wouldn't hurt.

She moved slowly and silently, trying to determine what was going on.

She heard movement in the forest, and saw Potter slowly making his way in. She resumed snake form to follow him silently.

She was by his head when he fell, she could feel his feint breath as they pronounced him dead.

She made her way back to the castle still in serpent form, just behind the parade. She may have bit a few straggling Death Eaters along the way. The poison would set in slowly. Normally she refrained from killing anything as a snake, but today she wanted to taste blood.

Her eyes were on her father the entire time.

She hardly noticed the altercations as they approached the castle. The grief dissipated and pure, unadulterated rage overtook her. It blinded her to any other goings on.

He would pay for everything. They would all pay.

She waited patiently, returning to her human form on the outskirts of the crowd. It didn't take long for the fighting to start, and that's when she made her move.

First, while still invisible, she took down many of the Death Eaters, keeping them away from killing the innocent when she could.

Her defensive skills were well tuned, allowing her to avoid the curses flying left and right. It was getting messy. Bodies began to pile up, but she could not look to see who they were. Many of the children from the room she had thought of as under her care were out here, and she could not let grief distract her.

All the while she watched him; as she dodged and fired curses she waited.

The final moment came. Everything was perfect.

Potter and Voldemort had locked wands, and everything else stopped as all eyes fell on them.

She moved just behind Potter and removed her concealment charm.

The crowd didn't notice her appear, they were too focused on the fight, but that wasn't what mattered.

What she had counted on in that last moment happened exactly as she hoped.

His cold eyes fell on her, and he knew. As if he expected it all along, he knew exactly who she was.

They locked eyes. The most feared wizard in the world recognized a bit of himself in someone else, and suddenly he was the one who was afraid.

The few seconds he faltered were all Potter needed to finish him.

She saw everyone turn to look at her, as cheering erupted.

It was over; they had won.

Suddenly, pain. She felt the scream leaver her lips as she crashed to the ground.

...

She awoke in a comfortable room, with an older woman sitting across from her in a chair. She was holding a letter, and seemed a bit puzzled.

Athelina didn't blame her.

"OH, you're awake!" She offered her a glass of water.

"My name is Minerva. We haven't really met, but I've been checking up on you quite regularly while you rested. I know there are many things that need to be cleared up, but I just want to ask…is all of this true?" She pointed to the letter.

It was the one written by Severus, with a small note from Dumbledore, explaining everything. He must have known it would end this way; he must have left it on the desk.

She nodded. The older witch let out a sob.

Athelina let out one of her own, followed by another scream.

Sorrow, shock, then intense pain.

This wasn't the same as before, it wasn't fueled by exhaustion and grief…

The baby was coming.

**A/N Well there it is. I know you may read this and not be very pleased with a few of the events, because it is sad. However, I did label this a tragedy, and I have planned this as the ending since I started writing it a year ago. I wanted to stick closely to the actual story, and for Lina to accomplish her goal it just made the most sense. There are two smaller chapters (a conclusion and an epilogue) I will post in a day or two that are still very important and I really like so stay tuned for that :) **


	33. Chapter 33

She named him Tom.

Not because she wanted to honor her father by it. Voldemort hated his birth name.

She felt the name needed a second chance, the same way she had been given one, and the same way Severus had.

She also saw it as a reminder that good could come from something evil. Severus had shown her that.

No matter what their pasts had been like, or where they came from, something good had certainly come from them in the end.

Just as they healed each other, they proved to themselves that they were worth healing.

Even a snake could be charmed, and even a Slytherin could be a hero.

She wanted her son to be the sign of a new beginning for the Slytherin bloodline. She would not hide him from the past, or his heritage, but she would teach him that love and respect were what made a wizard great. The great wizards in her life had certainly shown her that.

She was welcomed into wizarding society with open arms. Everyone thought her a bit of a marvel, and while she welcomed the popularity after years of wishing for friends, it got a bit overwhelming. Someone was constantly knocking on the door, asking for the rights to her biography. She politely told them that when she was ready to put her whole story out there she would write it herself.

If there had been any concern as to how she would make a living it quickly evaporated. She finally gained access to her grandparents' Gringotts account, which had gone all these years untouched. Severus had left her everything in his will, except for some gold he had put away secretly for the baby.

She would have no problem getting a job, but this was enough to live on while she raised her son, and adjusted to her new environment. Perhaps she would look into positions as a wizarding historian. Reading had always been her specialty, and now that she had the option to do whatever she chose, it seemed she would rather do nothing else. Or perhaps writing, if the autobiography turned out well.

The house was difficult to go back to, but she refused to live anywhere else when people offered. It was their home, where she first laid eyes on him, and he left it for her. The old building was so accustomed to him that it almost felt like he was still in it.

She became fast friends with the Potters and Weasleys, visiting them often. They took to her as if she was a part of their group all along. Perhaps it was gratitude, but they were simply very kind people.

As children started to join their families, Tom would go over to their houses to play. The godson of the Potter's was his age, and had the same mischievous nature she saw in her son. Even as toddlers their eyes would light up as soon as they saw each other. Hermione often said they were like the next generation Harry and Ron, off looking for adventures and finding them in the wrong places.

She missed him every day, and the first few years were very hard. Strength during hard times had always been easy for her, but too often she felt her heart breaking all over again.

It was too soon, they didn't have enough time.

No matter the pain, she had a new focus in her life. She was determined to remember what evil had done to her family, and she would teach her son everything she could about the people in his life he never got to see. He would learn over time why his father wasn't there to teach him to fly, why he didn't have a grandmother like Mrs. Weasley to make cookies and knit him sweaters (not that Mrs. Weasley didn't do a fine job as an adoptive grandmother).

It would help him realize just how special a boy he truly was.

She spent less and less time as a snake as years passed. Every once in a while, she would return to it, just to remember the freedom of feeling the grass part as she glided through it, but she didn't need that body anymore.

There was no longer a need to hide from anything. She was finally free.

Tom didn't exhibit any signs of being able to change as she had, nor did she think he needed to.

However, there were times when he was sound asleep that she would pass his bed, hear a very faint hiss, and smile.


	34. Epilogue

Epilogue

*(make sure you read chapter 33, they were posted at the same time!)*

The heir of Slytherin walked confidently towards the stool sitting in the middle of the room.

The hall went instantly quiet when his name was called, every student staring as the hat was placed on his head.

"Gryffindor!" The hat yelled, as everyone at the table cheered. He was the first Slytherin by blood to be put in a different house, and that certainly meant something special.

Brushing his long black hair away from his face, he made his way towards his new family.

Looking towards the other House tables, he remembered what his mother said as she kissed him goodbye, tears in her eyes.

"They may tell you that it matters, son. They all act as if being sorted says something deep about your future. I promise you that the hat itself told me it is nothing as profound as that. You are a Slytherin, but that doesn't limit you in any way. If you don't want to belong there, you can be anywhere you would like to be. I just don't want you to be ashamed of who you are."

He sat down with his best friend Teddy, and enjoyed his first feast at Hogwarts. Uncle Ron said the feasts were his favorite part, and they made up for all the homework. He didn't think it could be all that bad, he loved to learn. Some day he wanted to be a professor, just like his dad.

As students started gathering to walk to their common rooms, the headmistress came and stopped him from joining them.

"Tom, would you come up to my office please? There is someone who wants to meet you."

Teddy shrugged his shoulders at him, turning to follow the crowd to their rooms.

He was very nervous as he climbed the steps to Professor McGonagall's office. Everyone else in the school seemed a bit afraid of her. She had been nice enough whenever she came to visit their house, though. His mom said she was even there the day he was born.

She opened the door and held it for him to enter ahead of her.

He heard many stories about this office, but none prepared him for what he saw.

As he stepped inside, the many faces that hung on the walls looked at him and smiled.

There was one in particular that caught his eye, because his own eyes were staring at him from it.

He looked up at the portrait, smiling as tears spilled down his cheeks.

The portrait of Severus Snape looked down at the boy with the striking smile, filled with as much pride as a painting could be, maybe more.

"Hello, son."

**A/N And so we come to the end of our story. I want to thank everyone who read, those who added alerts, favorited, and especially reviewed. Your on-going support of the story made me keep writing. A huge thank you to my friend Zac who has been reading as I write, and offering helpful feedback and encouragement. For those who want something a bit different, I am writing another story that is much less sad and it will be starting any day now. Thank you again.**

**Emily**


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